Vulnerabilities
by Isilarma
Summary: Multi-chapter story. Hanssen falls seriously ill and needs treatment at Holby. Please read and review. Final chapter now up.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone. I thought it would be interesting to explore what would happen if Hanssen was ill and needed treatment at Holby. Reviews are very much appreciated. Hope you all enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Henrik Hanssen glanced up at the knock at his door.

"Come in," he called. He smiled as Ric entered the room. "Ah, Mr. Griffin, how are you feeling?" Ric returned the smile as he seated himself gingerly in the chair opposite.

"Much better, thank you." He raised an eyebrow at the paperwork covering the other consultant's desk. "Have you got quite enough to do there?" he asked. Henrik grimaced.

"Apparently not." He shook his head in resignation. "It'll be a relief when you are able to operate again." Ric grinned.

"Well, it's your decision. If it's getting too much…" Henrik snorted.

"Ric, I am not letting you operate yet. You're not fully recovered and my workload is manageable." Ric grinned and shrugged.

"Worth a try," he said. "Although Jess would probably have something to say about it if you did." Henrik smiled.

"Yes, I expect she would," he agreed. "How is she by the way?"

"She's fine, and pampering Jake outrageously." He shook his head. "I'd forgotten how many sets of clothes babies seem to need." Henrik chuckled, but his smile turned soon wistful.

"Yes, I know what you mean," Ric glanced at him sharply and began to ask a question, but the Swede quickly changed the subject. "So other than trying to land me in trouble with your daughter, was there a reason you came to see me?" Ric frowned slightly, but he shook his head.

"I've been unable to do my job for far too long," he explained. "It's very frustrating." Henrik nodded sympathetically.

"I understand, but you know I can't allow it yet." He thought for a moment. "If you continue to improve at your present rate, then you may be back in theatre by the end of the week." Ric grinned.

"That sounds good to me." With a grimace, he pushed himself upright. "I suppose I'd better get back to my own work." Henrik nodded.

"Don't overwork yourself," he said. Ric glared at him mock severely.

"Talk about the pot calling the kettle black," he retorted. "You're worse than Connie was." Henrik smirked.

"Thank you." Ric rolled his eyes.

"That wasn't a compliment, Henrik." He shook his head. "I'll see you at the meeting later?"

"Of course."

Henrik got to his feet and stretched as the door shut behind the other consultant. Ric really had made a remarkably quick recovery. Glancing at the clock, he realised he was due to inspect Darwin in less than ten minutes. It looked like the paperwork would have to wait until after the usual fighting. He grimaced. Performing Ric's operation had earned Ric's friendship, but he was aware that Elliot was still wary of him, and the registrars were not much better. He had yet to have single conversation with Jac were she did not try and advance her career, and Greg had yet to impress him. In fact, the only person he trusted on Darwin was Sahira, and that only because he had known her for so long. He glanced at the clock again. With Ric still technically on sick leave, Keller was understaffed, and he resolved to check in on the ward on the way down. Ric would never forgive him if he caused any more damage to his beloved department.

For once, Keller was relatively peaceful, and Henrik felt some of the tension leave his body. He had quite enough on his plate without having to worry about Keller too. To his surprise, he felt the breath catch in his chest momentarily, and he frowned. The last time that had happened…

"Mr. Hanssen." Henrik turned at the sound of his name.

"Good morning, Mr. Levy," he replied. "Everything alright down here?" Sacha nodded.

"Yep, no problems at all," he said cheerfully. He continued to talk as the two of them made their way to the nurse's station, but Henrik found his attention wandering. He was still finding it unusually hard to take a deep breath, and he was beginning to feel stirrings of concern. A moment later, he could not suppress a gasp as a sharp pain shot through his chest. Sacha caught his arm in alarm as he staggered.

"Mr. Hanssen! Chrissie, we need help over here." With an effort, Henrik found the breath to speak.

"Call Darwin," he gasped. The pain was already intensifying, and he knew from experience that it would only get worse. "Spontaneous…pneumothorax." Sacha's face lit up with understanding.

"Chrissie, call Elliot, he's got a collapsed lung." He turned back to Hanssen, and was alarmed to see his lips were tinged with blue. "Damn." Carefully, he eased the consultant to the floor, propping him up against the wall to help his breathing. He looked up with relief as Chrissie came running over with an oxygen pack.

"Thanks. Did you get hold of anyone?" Chrissie nodded as she handed him the mask.

"Elliot's on his way down. He said give him oxygen and keep him still." Sacha nodded as he helped Hanssen position the mask, and was relieved to see the Swede's breathing ease slightly.

"Did you hear that, Mr. Hanssen?" Hanssen's face was ashen, but he gave a faint nod at the registrar's enquiry. He fairly radiated tension as he fought to prevent further exclamations of pain escaping. Sacha and Chrissie exchanged a helpless glance, and it was an enormous relief when Elliot Hope arrived on the ward.

Despite what Chrissie had told him, Elliot was still shocked by Hanssen's condition. He had never seen the Swede looking anything less than in complete control, and the sight of him in such agony was surprisingly distressing. Masking his surprise, he knelt next to the consultant.

"Henrik, I need to listen to your chest," he said calmly. "Can you lean forward for me please?" Hanssen grimaced, but did as he was asked. Elliot listened carefully, and nodded.

"Yes, definitely a pneumothorax, and quite a large one by the sound of it." He frowned. "Have you ever experienced this before?" Hanssen nodded.

"Four times," he said. His voice was tight with pain. "The last one occurred twelve years ago…then I had a pleurodesis." Elliot sighed.

"I should have expected that." The shape of their chest cavity meant that tall, thin people were more likely to suffer a collapsed lung than anyone else, and Hanssen took both to the extremes. He glanced at Sacha. "We're going to have to move him to Darwin and insert a chest drain," he said. Sacha winced sympathetically.

"I'll get a trolley." He dashed off, and Elliot looked back at the consultant.

"We're going to take you up to Darwin," he said. "Do you think you can stand?" Hanssen closed his eyes for a moment, but nodded.

"I may need your help," he said quietly. His dark eyes met Elliot's, and Elliot saw genuine fear behind the Swede's practised mask. If this had happened as many times as the consultant said, he would be well aware of how uncomfortable the next few days would be. Elliot was fortunate enough never to have suffered a pneumothorax, but he had treated enough cases to understand how much pain the Swede must be in. Unfortunately, the only reliable treatment, the chest drain, was renowned for being both painful and uncomfortable. Hanssen was in for a bad week, and, despite his antipathy towards the man, Elliot would not wish that on anyone. He laid a reassuring hand on the consultant's shoulder.

"I'll do everything I can," he promised. Hanssen's eyes closed in relief, and he gave a grateful nod. His eyes opened again as Sacha returned with the trolley, and he sighed. Elliot winced as the sigh triggered a fit of hacking coughs, causing Hanssen's face to contort with suppressed agony. The fit subsided a minute later, but the consultant was deathly pale and clearly struggling to breathe. Sacha glanced at Elliot, the concern clearly visible in his face.

"Would it be better to insert the drain down here?" he asked. Elliot shook his head.

"He'd need to be monitored on a CT ward anyway, and it'll be more difficult to move him with the drain already in place," he explained. "But we need to move quickly." Sacha nodded grimly.

"Alright, let's do it."

It took both of them to help Hanssen on to the trolley, and by the time they reached Darwin, the consultant was fighting to remain conscious. Elliot was relieved that Darwin was so busy; all three registrars were off attending to their various patients. He had a feeling Hanssen would not want anyone to see him in his present condition. With Sacha's help, he wheeled the trolley into a side room and began hooking him up to the monitors.

"Sacha, can you fetch a surgical kit for me please?" Sacha darted off, and returned with the tray a few moments later.

"Got it." Elliot nodded absently.

"Good, we'll also need two sets of scrubs and gowns." Sacha glanced at him questioningly.

"Don't you want Mr. Douglas or Ms. Naylor to assist?" Elliot shook his head.

"It's not a complicated procedure, and they need to see to their own patients." He glanced at Hanssen awkwardly. "If it's alright with the both of you of course." Sacha nodded.

"Keller's quiet at the moment, and I'm up to date on all my work."

"I have…no objections either." Elliot frowned at the consultant.

"You need to keep the mask on," he said firmly. To his surprise, Hanssen obeyed without argument. Elliot sent Sacha off to fetch the gowns and anaesthesia before returning his attention to their patient.

Hanssen had recovered some of his composure, but he was still very pale. He watched without comment as Elliot checked the surgical equipment, but Elliot got the feeling that he was glad of the company. Relations between the two consultants had been strained ever since Connie's departure a few months back, but Elliot knew the Swede would still chose him before any of the other CT specialists. Ever since Ric's operation, Hanssen had treated him with a certain respect and Elliot had begun to return it. There was no questioning Hanssen's ability; he had demonstrated on multiple occasions a skill bordering on the virtuoso; Ric's recent operation was an excellent example. No, there was no doubt in Elliot's mind as to his capability. It was his ruthless efficiency that was the trouble. He had heard from Sacha how deeply the man committed to his patients, but the ease with which he ordered redundancies was something Elliot found disturbing.

Elliot shook his head sharply. Regardless of what he might think, the Swede was still his patient, and Elliot had duty to get him well again. He glanced at the clock, noting absently that they were both going to miss the consultant's meeting, but it could not be helped. Hanssen's condition was stable for the moment, but they really needed to get the drain in. He was about to go and investigate why Sacha was taking so long when the registrar appeared in the doorway holding the anaesthetics, the gowns slung over one arm.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "Jac caught me, but I told her some story and she lost interest." He glanced at Hanssen. "How are you doing?" The consultant shrugged slightly.

"I have had better days." His voice was muffled by the oxygen mask. Sacha winced as he handed Elliot the drugs.

"I'll bet." Hanssen opened his mouth to reply, but Elliot's glare warned him not to push his luck. The CT consultant nodded his thanks at Sacha, who was struggling to contain a smile.

"Thank you." He glanced back at Hanssen."I'm afraid you'll need to remove your shirt so that I can administer the anaesthetic." The Swede grimaced, but leant forward and began to carefully peel off his jacket. He did not ask for help, and Elliot did not offer any; he knew how proud Hanssen could be. It was several minutes before the painful process was over, and Hanssen broke into another coughing fit as he lay back against the pillows. Elliot raised an eyebrow pointedly, but did not comment as he readied the anaesthetic. He glanced back as the consultant's coughing died away.

"Are you ready?" he asked. Hanssen nodded, forcing his muscles to relax with a visible effort. His jaw clenched as Elliot injected the drugs, but otherwise did not react. Elliot sighed as he set the needle carefully to one side.

"We'll have to wait a few minutes for it to take effect," he said apologetically. Hanssen nodded, and Elliot remembered that he had been in this position before.

While they waited, Elliot and Sacha donned their gowns and gloves, and Elliot talked the registrar through the procedure. It was not complicated, but since the drain would have to remain in place for at least a few days, they had to make sure it was positioned correctly. In Hanssen's case, determining the location was simple; there was already a closely grouped pattern of scars from previous drains on the side of his chest.

A few minutes later, Hanssen indicated that the anaesthesia had taken effect, and Elliot glanced at Sacha.

"Are you clear on everything?" he asked. Sacha nodded confidently.

"Crystal." The CT consultant glanced at Hanssen.

"We're ready," he said gently. The Swede nodded, and twisted slightly to allow them easier access to the site. He seemed more resigned than concerned, but Elliot caught the flash of apprehension in his dark gaze before he closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, Elliot made the first incision.

The procedure went smoothly, and it was not long before Elliot was putting in the final sutures around the tube. He tied off the knots with practised ease and stepped back to admire his handiwork. The long tube ran from the consultant's side to an enclosed drainage system. This would gradually remove the excess air from the chest cavity, and already it seemed to be having an effect. Hanssen's breathing, while still rather more laboured than Elliot would have liked, was sounding far better than it had earlier. He studied the stitches for a moment before glancing up at Elliot.

"An excellent job, Mr. Hope," he said. "Thank you." His voice was hoarse with the strain, but carried some of its old authority. Sacha nodded agreement.

"Very nice." The admiration in his voice was genuine, and Elliot smiled as he removed his mask.

"You're welcome." His voice turned firm. "Now, you need to get some rest." Hanssen opened his mouth to protest, but Elliot cut him off. "You're my patient, and the best thing you can do now is rest. You've been here before, so don't try and argue." Hanssen held his gaze for a moment, before nodding reluctantly.

"Very well." Elliot nodded approvingly.

"Good." He hesitated a moment. "You know I'll have to tell the rest of the staff?" Hanssen nodded.

"Of course." Elliot looked relieved.

"Thank you. I'll try and make sure they don't bother you." The Swede gave him a slight smile.

"That would be appreciated." Catching the weariness in his voice, Elliot frowned.

"Alright, I think we'd better leave you in peace," he said. "I'll be back in a couple of hours to take you for an X-ray." Hanssen nodded.

"Thank you, both of you, for your assistance today." Elliot smiled.

"You're welcome. I'll see you later."

"Get well soon," Sacha added cheekily. Hanssen frowned, but both of them could see he did not mind, and even before they had left, the Swede's eyes had closed and he had fallen into an uneasy slumber.

Sacha glanced at Elliot as the consultant shut the door behind them.

"Is he going to be alright?" he asked. Elliot looked thoughtful.

"He should be," he said slowly. "I may to have to talk to him about having another pleurodesis to reduce the chances of this happening again, but he should make a full recovery." Sacha looked relieved.

"Good." He sighed. "I'd better get back to Keller." Elliot nodded.

"Thank you for your assistance today," he said. Sacha waved the thanks away.

"Not a problem. If there's anything else I can do, just let me know." Elliot smiled.

"Thank you."

Elliot sighed as Sacha left the ward. He had quickly realised that the news that Hanssen was ill would be received with mixed feelings, especially here on Darwin, and he knew that Hanssen would be equally ill at ease. Keeping his patient calm while still maintaining morale among his staff was going to be a difficult task. Elliot sighed again as he saw Jac and Greg approaching. Time to tell them the news.

**I've never had a collapsed lung, so I had to Google the symptoms and treatment. Hopefully it's not too inaccurate. Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Vulnerabilities**

**Hi everyone, here's the second part. It's the Easter holidays now, so hopefully I'll be able to update more quickly. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed; I really appreciate the feedback. Hope you enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

There was a dark scowl on Jac's face as she strode towards Elliot. Despite the fact that Darwin was busier than normal, the consultant had been away for over an hour. The three registrars had been run off their feet; she and Sahira had even had to stop sniping at each other in order to deal with everything. It was extremely frustrating; they had needed Elliot's opinion on a number of the cases, and most of the patients had been waiting for a long time. Whatever he had been called to Keller for, it had better be a good reason.

Elliot glanced up at their approach. If she had not been so annoyed, Jac might have noticed the sudden wariness in his gaze, but her attention was elsewhere, and she planted herself firmly in front of him, her arms folded across her chest.

"Where have you been?" she asked bluntly. Next to her, she felt Greg wince, but she ignored him. "If you haven't noticed, we've been a bit busy up here." She instantly regretted her rudeness as Elliot glared at her.

"Is that the way you normally address a consultant, Ms. Naylor?" he asked sharply. There was a hint of steel in his normally affable gaze. Jac gritted her teeth.

"Sorry. But we could have used your help." Elliot nodded.

"I know. I was detained by an unexpected patient." Jac frowned.

"Who?" Instead of answering, Elliot gestured towards the private room. Jac's frown deepened, but she went to the window. Her jaw dropped as she realised who the patient was, and she heard Greg give a low whistle.

"What on earth happened?" he asked. Briefly, Elliot described the morning's events. The two registrars listened in silence, but Jac's thoughts were racing. The interviews for the consultancy position were being held the next week, and this development presented her with an ideal opportunity to show Hanssen what she could do. She started as Elliot said her name.

"Yes?" she asked sharply. Elliot shook his head.

"I was asking if you could inform Miss Shah for me. I would do it myself, but I have rather a lot of work to do." Jac nodded.

"Of course I will. Do you want me to check on Hanssen later too?" The consultant looked at her, and Jac realised that he knew exactly what she was planning.

"I don't think that would be the best idea," he said gently. Jac gritted her teeth. but managed to keep her temper. She knew she had already tested his patience.

"Fine. I'll get Sahira to do it." To her surprise, Elliot shook his head.

"No, actually I was thinking of asking Mr. Douglas to attend to him." He glanced at Greg, who looked as startled as Jac felt. "If that's alright with you, Greg." Greg nodded.

"Yeah, of course." Satisfied, Elliot nodded.

"Good. If you'll excuse me then, I really must get going." With that, Elliot departed, leaving the two registrars staring after him.

The moment Elliot was out of earshot, Jac let out a brief, but sharp expletive. Greg raised an eyebrow.

"Charming." Jac glared at him.

"Oh, shut up." She scowled through the window at the sleeping consultant. "How come you get to treat him?" Greg glanced at her.

"Because Elliot knows you'll do anything to get the consultant job? Because Hanssen's the guy who'll make the final choice? Because you have a reputation for putting your career before your patients? No, you're right, I have no idea why." He smirked as Jac shot him a withering glare.

"Very funny. And I do not." Greg nodded.

"Of course you don't." He stepped in front of her as she turned to leave. "Alright, I'm sorry. But look on the bright side." Jac folded her arms obstinately.

"There's a bright side to all this?" Greg nodded.

"He didn't let Sahira treat him either, and if you think about it, she's the logical choice." Jac frowned.

"How is she the logical choice? In terms of medical ability…"

"That's not the point," Greg interrupted. "He's known her longer, so he's more comfortable around her. Which is perfectly understandable anyway." Seeing Jac's scowl deepen, he continued quickly. "Anyway, my point is, that Elliot didn't choose Sahira for the same reason he didn't chose you. He doesn't want either of you to have an unfair advantage." He shrugged. "I didn't apply, so I can't influence him either way."

Scowling, Jac thought over his argument. She had to agree that it made sense. Elliot was a fair man, and always tries to ensure that the registrars had the same opportunities. She sighed regretfully. It was a pity, but at least she and Sahira would be on equal footing. She grimaced. Thanks to her history with Hanssen, it was already difficult to compete with Sahira for the Swede's favour, to the extent that Jac was beginning to wonder if the other registrar could do no wrong. It was thoroughly frustrating. Jac knew that her medical skills were on a par with Sahira's, and she had the advantage of not having a family to take care of, but she knew that Hanssen's friendship was a considerable asset. Not that she was going to admit defeat. Jac knew she deserved the consultant job; she had given up everything, family, friendships, even the man she loved for this opportunity. She was not going to let it pass. Grimly, she nodded.

"Fine. Let me know when he's awake." Greg's eyes narrowed.

"You heard what Elliot said," he began, but Jac cut him off.

"I'm not going to treat him, alright? Just let me know." Greg glared at her suspiciously for a moment, then nodded slowly.

"But only if you go and tell Sahira. It's only fair." Jac smiled sweetly.

"No problem. I'll go and tell her now shall I?" Still smiling, she returned to the ward leaving Greg staring after her in bemusement.

Jac smirked as she looked round for Sahira. Greg may not be happy about her plan to visit, but there was nothing he could do to stop her. Technically, she was not doing anything wrong; Elliot had only said that she could not treat the consultant, but Jac guessed that Sahira would want to visit her old mentor, and she had no intention of letting her be the only one to play the anxious friend. Seeing Sahira leaving a room, she hurried over, wiping the smirk from her face as she did so.

Sahira looked up in surprise at her approach, and Jac was exasperated to see that despite their hectic morning, the other registrar looked as fresh as ever. Sahira smiled at her.

"Busy today, isn't it?" The smile faded at the expression on Jac's face. "What's wrong." Jac did not waste time.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Hanssen suffered a spontaneous pneumothorax on Keller this morning," she said without preamble. Sahira went slightly pale.

"Is he alright?" she asked. Jac nodded.

"Mr. Hope brought him up here and inserted a chest drain," she explained. "He said he should make a full recovery." Sahira seemed to sag with relief.

"Good. Where is he?" Jac gestured down the corridor.

"The private room on the end, but he's asleep. Greg said he'd let you know when he's awake." She scowled lightly. "He's his patient." Sahira glanced up sharply.

"Greg's? Why?" Jac shrugged.

"Mr. Hope thought it would be the best idea."

"Ah, I see. The consultant interviews." Jac nodded.

"Exactly." She frowned slightly. Sahira still looked rather pale, and much as she did not like the other woman, Jac was still a doctor. "Are you alright?" Sahira nodded, and gave her a slight smile.

"I'm fine. It's just a bit of a shock." She took a deep breath and shook her head. "Anyway, we'd better get back to work." Reluctantly, Jac took the file she offered.

"Coronary heart disease, what fun."

"I'm glad you think so, Ms. Naylor, because I'm sure the patient doesn't." Jac started as she heard Elliot's voice behind her, and turned to face him.

"Sorry." Elliot looked pointedly towards the waiting patients, and she nodded at Sahira.

"Let me know if you hear anything." Sahira nodded.

"Of course." Jac smiled at both doctors, before departing to see to her patient.

Elliot shook his head in dismay as Jac left. The redhead was certainly an excellent surgeon, but she was somewhat lacking in tact. He turned back to Sahira, a look of concern on his homely face.

"I see Jac told you the news?" Sahira nodded.

"Just a few minutes ago." She hesitated a moment, as if steeling herself. "Mr. Hope, exactly how serious is his condition?" Elliot sighed.

"He's stable for now, and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he should be fine."

"But?" He rubbed his eyes wearily.

"This is the fifth time this has happened. Considering his history, we may have to do another pleurodesis." Sahira frowned.

"He's already had one?" Elliot nodded.

"He said it was around twelve years ago. I'm amazed it held out for so long." He studied the registrar intently for a moment. "Are you sure you're alright, Sahira?" She nodded wearily.

"I'm fine, thanks." She sighed heavily. "I'd better get back. Will it be alright if I look in on Mr. Hanssen later?"

"Of course. I need to finish some work, but I'll be in the office if you need me."

"Right." She summoned up a smile. "Thank you for helping him." Elliot smiled back.

"My pleasure." Sahira nodded, and picked up another file. With a final smile at Elliot, she returned to her patients.

Eliot watched her go before returning to his office. He had not been exaggerating; ever since Connie's departure he had been the sole consultant on Darwin, and his workload had increased exponentially. It would be a relief when Hanssen finally selected a new consultant. Although, in his present condition, that would not be any time soon. Sighing, Elliot set to work.

He had only been working for a few minutes before he was interrupted by a knock at the door, and Ric entered the room. He smiled as he shut the door behind him.

"Where were you this morning? You missed the meeting." Elliot nodded.

"Yes, sorry about that, there was a problem with a patient." Ric took the seat opposite him.

"Well you didn't miss much. Hanssen didn't even turn up." He frowned slightly. "Which isn't like him at all." Elliot winced.

"I see no one's told you then," he murmured. Ric stared at him.

"Told me what?" he asked. Eliot sighed and set down his pen.

"I'm afraid Hanssen was my patient. He suffered a spontaneous pneumothorax this morning." Ric sat up in surprise.

"Is he alright?" Elliot nodded reassuringly.

"He'll be fine in a few days, but I had to insert a chest drain." Ric winced sympathetically.

"It must have been a pretty bad one then," he noted. Elliot nodded.

"It was." He sighed. "But he survived, and he should make a full recovery."

"I'm glad to hear it." There was silence for a few seconds, before Elliot changed the topic.

"So how are you getting on?" Ric smiled.

"My oncologist confirmed that Hanssen removed the whole tumour, and there's no trace of any more developing. It looks like I'm in the clear." Elliot beamed at him.

"Ric, that's brilliant news." Ric nodded contentedly.

"Looks like I've got a good few years yet," he said. Elliot smiled.

"Hopefully a bit more than that," he agreed. "How are Jess and Jake doing?"

"They're both fine. Jake screams the house down each night, but Jess did exactly the same thing, so I'm used to it." A brief scowl crossed his face. "Still no word from David. Can you believe that, he hasn't even tried to see his own son?" Elliot shook his head sadly.

"Such a shame. Jake should know his father." Ric looked grim.

"I don't want him anywhere near Jess. He doesn't deserve either of them." It was clear he did not want to discuss it, and Elliot steered the conversation to a safer topic.

"Did you hear that Jac Naylor applied for the consultant position?" Ric grimaced.

"Yes I did, and I can't say I'm surprised. She's been trying to reach Connie's position for years. Do you think she'll actually get it?" Elliot shrugged.

"They're both fine doctors, and either one of them would make an excellent consultant. I suppose it'll depend on who impresses Hanssen on the day." Ric nodded.

"Hopefully he'll make the right choice." He got to his feet and stretched carefully. "I'd better get back to Keller. I don't really want to leave Sacha alone while Hanssen's up here." Elliot nodded in understanding, and he turned to leave. At the door, he paused. "Will you keep me informed of Hanssen's condition?" he asked. Elliot looked surprised, but nodded.

"Certainly." Ric smiled.

"Thank you." With that, he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

Elliot stared after him thoughtfully. It was surprising how quickly attitudes towards Hanssen had changed. A month ago, Ric and the others would never have shown much concern for the Swede's welfare, a few might have even relished his discomfort, but the events of the past few weeks had changed everything. Hanssen was still unpopular, but he was no longer hated as he had been when he first arrived. Back then, his seeming lack of compassion and icy demeanour had caused resentment, but his recent willingness to save Ric's life had demonstrated his compassion, and Elliot suspected his current predicament would earn the sympathy of his colleagues. He smiled slightly. It looked like Hanssen's illness could turn to his benefit. The smile faded though as he remembered the severity of the morning's attack. The Swede was sure to need further treatment, but Elliot was reluctant to submit him to yet another painful procedure. He sighed heavily. Whatever he did, Hanssen was in for a bad time. Reluctantly, Elliot returned to his work. There was nothing more he could do until Hanssen awoke. Hopefully by then he would have decided what to do.

**This chapter was hard because I'm still not sure where exactly this is going, so sorry if it's not as good as the first bit. Hopefully you all enjoyed it. Please make my day and review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Vulnerabilities**

**I'm really sorry for the delay, I know its Easter, but my teachers don't seem to know the meaning of the word holiday. Anyway, a massive thank you to everyone who's reviewed, they really make me happy. I hope you enjoy this chapter too, and please let me know what you think.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City**

Greg shook his head in dismay as Jac strolled away. He had quite enough patients already to deal with, but he could understand why Elliot had chosen him. Greg was not particularly fond of Hanssen, but since he had not applied for the consultant position, he was the only one Elliot trusted to handle the case. Hanssen might have preferred Sahira, but Jac would not have accepted that quite so easily. This way, no one was at an unfair advantage.

Reluctantly, Greg pushed open the door and walked across to the bed. He was slightly taken aback by Hanssen's appearance. Even in sleep, the Swede's face was creased with worry, and his skin had an unhealthy grey tinge. Greg could see that he could wake at any moment, and he made a conscious effort to move quietly as he checked the monitors. To his relief, everything was within expected limits, but he increased the morphine slightly anyway. He knew from his studies how uncomfortable a chest drain could be, and he did not want the consultant waking unexpectedly. Satisfied he had done everything he could, Greg returned to the ward. He would check on his other patients and then get back to Hanssen.

Fortunately, none of his patients were having difficulty, and Greg soon finished his work. He was just passing the staff room on his way back to Hanssen's room, when he happened to catch sight of Sahira seated inside. The other registrar was sitting at the table with her head in her hands, and the slump of her shoulders clearly indicated her distress. Frowning, Greg paused at the door.

"Sahira, are you alright?" he asked quietly. Sahira glanced up at his question, and Greg was startled at the expression of utter misery on her face.

"I'm fine," she mumbled. Greg raised an eyebrow as he shut the door behind him and moved to sit next to her.

"Strange definition of fine," he murmured. "Come on, what's wrong?" She turned away.

"It's nothing." Greg sighed.

"Sahira, it's clearly not nothing." A thought came to him. "Is it Hanssen?" Sahira did not reply, but the sudden tightening of her shoulders told him that his guess had been correct. Cautiously, he put an arm round her. "He's going to be alright you know. I checked him myself not half an hour ago." Sahira sighed, but did not pull away.

"I just hate the thought of him like that," she said quietly. "I owe him a lot." Greg frowned.

"What do you mean?" She shrugged slightly.

"He's been my mentor for most of my career," she said. "It's thanks to his guidance that I'm the surgeon I am."

"You mean a bloody good one?" He was pleased to see a smile flicker across her face.

"I wouldn't put it quite like that." Greg shrugged.

"Well, it's true." His manner turned serious. "He is going to be fine." She sighed again.

"I know. It just feels so strange." Greg nodded.

"I know what you mean," he agreed. "I'm used to him suddenly appearing behind me. Actually knowing where he is feels wrong for some reason." Sahira laughed.

"That's one of his favourite tricks. You get used to it." She smiled at him. "Thank you," she said quietly. Greg squeezed her gently.

"What are friends for?" he murmured. Regretfully, he let her go and stood up. "I'd better get back and see how he's doing. Do you want to come?" Sahira looked torn, but eventually she shook her head.

"No," she said reluctantly. "I have patients to see, and Jac's on the warpath already. I really should go and give her a hand." She glanced at him. "You will tell me if anything changes won't you?" Greg nodded.

"Of course I will. Try not to worry." She smiled.

"I'll try. Thanks." Greg grinned.

"No problem. See you later."

Greg's smile faded slightly as he made his way back. The depth of Sahira's concern had come as quite a surprise. He could understand why she should be worried about her old teacher, but he was beginning to suspect that there was more to it than that. Ever since Sahira's arrival, Jac had been convinced that there was something between her and Hanssen, but she had not been able to get any more information. Could it be that she was right? Greg shook his head sharply. Jac had disliked Sahira on first sight, and their recent competition had only exacerbated matters. And surely Sahira would want to be with Hanssen if there really was something between them. Greg sighed. The only people who knew the truth were Hanssen and Sahira, and so far neither of them had said anything. Until they did, it looked like the matter would remain a mystery.

As soon as Greg stepped into the room, he forgot about Sahira. Hanssen hunched over and coughing violently, and his already pale face twisted with pain as the movement shifted the chest drain. His dark eyes closed with relief at Greg's entrance, and the registrar was immediately by his side.

"Hey, it's alright." Carefully, mindful of the drain, he eased the consultant upright until he was able to lean back against the pillows. Quickly he checked the drain, and was relieved to find it was still secure; Elliot's work, as always, was excellent. He glanced back as Hanssen managed to catch his breath.

"Are you alright?" Hanssen was shivering slightly from the violence of the attack, but he was already recovering his self-control.

"Well enough, Mr Douglas." His voice was barely audible, a stark contrast to his normal strident tones. He cleared his throat and continued more strongly. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," said Greg absently. He was busy checking the monitors. The Swede's stats were gradually returning to normal, but not as quickly as he would have liked. Hanssen seemed to sense his concern.

"The first day is always the worst, Mr. Douglas," he said quietly. "This is fairly typical." Greg sighed.

"I'll have to take your word for it." He glanced back to his patient. "Is there anything I can do?" Hanssen shook his head.

"Not at present. I would, however, appreciate it if you were to bring up my paperwork at some point this afternoon." Greg gaped at him in astonishment.

"I'm sorry, did you say paperwork?" Hanssen nodded.

"I did." There was a hint of irritation in his voice. "Is something wrong Mr. Douglas?" Dazed, Greg shook his head.

"I can't let you work in this state," he exclaimed. "Mr. Hope would have my head." Hanssen rolled his eyes.

"I did not say I wanted it this instant, Mr. Douglas," he said testily. "I said that I would require it at some point in the future, possibly this afternoon." Greg shook his head adamantly.

"No, I can't. I'm sorry, but you can't think about work in this condition." The consultant glared at him, and for a moment Greg thought he had gone too far, but Hanssen's anger suddenly seemed to fade and he sighed.

"Very well." Greg looked at him in surprise.

"You agree with me?" The Swede shook his head.

"In principal, yes. In practice, no. But," he raised a warning hand as Greg made as if to protest, "I will not attempt anything today. Tomorrow, I will have to insist." Greg still was not happy, but he was smart enough to realise that that was the best he was going to get. Reluctantly, he nodded.

"Alright, but I'll have to check with Mr. Hope." Hanssen nodded.

"I thought you might. I expect he will protest." Greg snorted.

"Just a little." He rubbed his eyes. "Are you sure it can't it wait until you're recovered?" The glint in the Swede's eyes gave him his answer, and he sighed. "I'll go and ask him."

"Thank you." By that time the consultant was sounding almost like his old self, although he was still very pale. With another sigh, Greg went to look for Elliot.

Once outside, he had to resist the temptation to bang his head against a wall. He appreciated the size of the Director of Surgery's workload, but what Hanssen was suggesting was idiocy. The Swede's condition was stable, but he was not out of danger yet, and Greg had no intention of allowing him to get worked up over some paperwork. He knew that Elliot would agree with him, the CT consultant was always deeply concerned with his patient's welfare, and he knew that it would take both of them to reason with Hanssen. Taking a deep breath, he knocked at Elliot's door and pushed it open.

Elliot glanced up in surprise as he entered.

"Is there something wrong, Mr. Douglas?" Greg sighed as he shut the door.

"It's Mr. Hanssen," he said. Elliot face darkened with concern.

"Is he alright?" he asked. Greg nodded.

"I've just been to see him," he said. "He's in a bit of pain, but other than that he's doing fine."

"And the problem is?" Greg grimaced.

"Tomorrow he wants me to take him his paperwork." Elliot stared at him in dismay.

"Please tell me he was joking." He read the answer in Greg's face, and his frown deepened. "What on Earth is he thinking?" he exclaimed. Greg shook his head as the consultant got to his feet and started pacing.

"He won't take no for an answer," he told him. "It was all I could to do persuade him to wait until tomorrow." Elliot paused and looked at him.

"That's something at least," he muttered. He shook his head despairingly. "I'm going to have to go and talk to him. Is he up to having visitors?" Greg nodded.

"By the time I left he was sounding much better." Elliot squared his shoulders determinedly.

"Alright then. Come on, let's try and talk some sense into him."

Hanssen was clearly expecting them; there was not a trace of surprise on his face as Elliot entered with Greg in tow.

"Ah, good morning, Mr. Hope." Despite the frown that spread across Elliot's face, Greg could not help but admire the Swede's resilience. The CT consultant seemed less impressed.

"Henrik, what are you thinking?" Hanssen's gaze flickered to Greg.

"I see Mr. Douglas told you then," he murmured. Elliot's lips tightened.

"And it's a good thing he did," he said sharply. "You've been incapacitated for less than three hours, how much work can have built up in this time?" Hanssen opened his mouth to answer, but Elliot ignored him. "You are not well enough and that's the end of it. I'm sure Ric or Sacha can cover your patients for a week."

"Maybe they can," said Hanssen. "But there are other matters that require my personal attention and which must be completed soon. I cannot afford a week off." He fixed Elliot with a fierce stare, but the CT consultant's gaze was equally determined. Looking at them, Greg quickly realised that neither of them were going to back down. Reluctantly, he stepped up beside Elliot.

"Mr. Hope's right," he said. Both consultants glanced at him, Elliot with approval, Hanssen with disappointment as he continued. "Come on, you can barely move. Why can't you just take a break?" Hanssen shook his head sharply.

"Impossible." He broke off sharply as a spasm shot through his chest, and he went a shade paler. Elliot moved quickly to his side.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Hanssen nodded.

"I will be." Elliot caught the meaning in his words, and glanced at Greg. Carefully, the registrar adjusted the morphine, and was relieved to see some of the tension leave the Swede's body. Hanssen gave him a nod of gratitude.

"Thank you, Mr. Douglas." Elliot let out a long sigh of frustration.

"Can't you see that this isn't helping your condition?" he said, almost pleadingly. "You're already ill; you can't add more stress to it." Hanssen met his gaze steadily.

"I appreciate your concern," he said softly, "but I have very little choice. The SHA have demanded a report on the Holby's improvement. Failure to complete it would not be looked on favourably." He shook his head, his face a mask of weariness. "Elliot, you must let me do my work." Elliot sighed again.

"I'll think about it," he said at last. "Today, you have to rest." For a moment, Greg thought the Swede would protest, but he finally gave a nod of acquiescence.

"Very well." Elliot shot him a final, searching look, before he turned and left the room. Greg followed, casting a quick look back over his shoulder as he did so. He had time to see Hanssen's eyes close before the door shut behind him.

Neither doctor spoke as they returned to the main part of the ward. There was a thunderous scowl on Elliot's face as he made his way back to the office, and Greg was finding it rather disconcerting. It was rare for the consultant to get so worked up. Only once they were back did he break the silence.

"What are we going to do?" Elliot looked at him and sighed.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I can't let him work in his condition, but if I don't, he'll just keep getting agitated." He sighed heavily. "I don't like the look of either scenario." Greg shook his head.

"Me neither." The sombre mood was abruptly broken as Sahira entered. She frowned at their gloomy expressions.

"Is something wrong?" Greg attempted a smile.

"Your mentor's being a difficult patient," he said. Sahira's frown deepened, and he quickly moved to reassure her. "Don't worry, he's fine. We're just having a slight disagreement." Sahira glanced between the two of them.

"What sort of disagreement?" Elliot sighed.

"He wants to work, even though he's ill," he said. Irritation and concern were mixed in his voice. "He's rather stubborn." Sahira nodded in understanding.

"He was ill once at the last hospital we worked at together," she said. "He insisted on doing paperwork then too." Elliot glanced at her in surprise.

"And you let him?" She spread her arms helplessly.

"You said it yourself, he's stubborn. Although he wasn't nearly as ill then as he is now." She raised an inquiring eyebrow as she caught Greg studying her. "Is something wrong, Mr. Douglas?" Greg shook his head slowly.

"Just an idea…You've known him longer than anyone else here, right?" Sahira nodded and he continued. "Do you think he'd listen to you if you told him that it wasn't a good idea?" A doubtful look spread across her face.

"I don't know. Probably not." Elliot leaned forward.

"Do you think you could try?" he asked. Sahira glanced from one to the other, and finally nodded.

"Of course." She hesitated for a moment. "I really don't know if he'll listen to me though."

"Well, you've got a better chance than us," Greg pointed out. "All we've been able to do is postpone it until tomorrow. You can't do much worse" Sahira smiled.

"Alright. Wish me luck." Greg grinned.

"Good luck." Sahira smiled at him and left the room. He stared after her thoughtfully.

"Do you think she'll be able to change his mind?" he asked. Elliot shrugged.

"I don't know. But we don't have many options." He sighed. "Hopefully, this will be enough."

**I don't think Hanssen would let a little thing like being ill stop him from doing his job. Please review.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Vulnerabilities**

**Hey, thank you so much to my lovely reviewers; I can't say how happy you make me when you give me feedback. I'm sorry the update took a while, but I hope you to enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Sahira took a deep breath as she paused outside Hanssen's room. She was well aware of the difficulty of the task before her; Hanssen's determination had been legendary at their previous hospitals. It was a great asset when he was helping his patients, but an equally great hindrance when trying to change his mind. At the moment though, she did not have much of a choice. The consultant was endangering his health with his stubbornness, and he was too important to take such foolish risks. Summoning up her courage, Sahira pushed open the door.

Despite Elliot's warnings, she was not prepared for her first sight of him. In all the years she had known him, Hanssen had always appeared calm and collected, and in complete control of every situation. Even when he had been hospitalised a few years ago, he had maintained his air of authority perfectly. This time, however, his exhaustion was clearly visible on his face, and even from her position by the door she could hear the harsh rattle of his breathing. Seeing his eyes were closed, she turned to leave.

"I was wondering when you would decide to visit." Sahira turned back to him, the concern clearly visible on her face.

"You should be resting," she chided gently. Hanssen's lips twitched into a faint smile.

"Mr. Hope said exactly the same thing." Despite his weariness, his eyes were alert as he met her gaze. Realising she might as well stay; Sahira crossed the room and took a seat next to his bed.

"Then why don't you listen to us?" she asked. The consultant grimaced slightly and gestured to the chest drain.

"Have you ever tried sleeping with one of these in place, Sahira?" Sahira shook her head.

"I know it's uncomfortable, but there's nothing we can do about it. And you need sleep to recover." She sighed as she remembered the purpose of her visit. "Henrik, is it true you're asking for Greg to bring your work up tomorrow?" Hanssen nodded slightly.

"That is correct." Sahira leaned forward in dismay.

"Henrik, you can't think of working so soon." The Swede held her gaze steadily.

"That's why I asked for it tomorrow," he said calmly. Sahira shook her head adamantly.

"That's just as bad. Mr. Hope will never allow it." Hanssen raised an eyebrow.

"You never objected last time." Sahira ran a hand through her hair in exasperation.

"Last time you had a cracked rib and a dislocated shoulder," she pointed out. "This time your condition is more serious." She smiled suddenly. "And I think Mr. Hope is rather more stubborn then Mr. Baxter." Hanssen sighed.

"I think you may be right." He glanced at her sharply. "Of course, you could always bring it yourself." Sahira gave a disbelieving laugh.

"Henrik I am not going over Mr. Hope's head to do something that could cause you harm." She relented a little at the disappointment in the consultant's eyes. "If Mr. Hope agrees, then fine. But not before." Reluctantly, Hanssen nodded.

"Very well." He sighed. "It's so tedious being ill." Sahira could not help but laugh at the expression on his face. He glanced at her curiously. "Something amusing, Sahira?" She nodded.

"You know, most people would be grateful for a break. You on the other hand complain about being bored and ask for more work." She shook her head, but she was still smiling. "Can't you read a book instead?"

"That would hardly help the hospital, would it?" Sahira frowned as he stifled a yawn.

"You're exhausted," she said accusingly. "Please will you get some rest?" Reluctantly, Hanssen nodded.

"I will." His gaze sharpened slightly as she got up to leave. "But I will be working tomorrow, Sahira." The registrar sighed.

"That depends on Mr. Hope's decision." She need not have spoken; the Swede's eyes had already closed and he did not stir at her words. Quietly, Sahira pulled the covers over him, being careful not to nudge the drain as she did so. Satisfied he was indeed asleep, she left the room.

Elliot glanced up as she returned to the office; Greg had returned to his patients after Jac complained that he was neglecting them.

"How did it go?" he asked eagerly. His face fell at the despondent expression on her face.

"He won't budge," she said wearily. "He's agreed to wait until tomorrow, but no later." Elliot shook his head in exasperation.

"What is the matter with him?" he asked. "Has he always been this bad?" Sahira nodded.

"Ever since I've known him, yes," she said wryly. "He's getting better. Last time he was asking for work as soon as they'd put his shoulder back into place." Elliot shot her a questioning look, so she elaborated. "A patient's relative was slightly drunk. He took offense when Mr. Hanssen tried to explain his wife's condition and pushed him down a flight of stairs." She sighed. "You really would have thought that a dislocated shoulder and a cracked rib would be good enough reasons for taking it easy." Elliot stared at her for a moment before putting his head in his hands.

"Why me?" he asked rhetorically. After a moment he sat up and glanced at her. "He's not going to change his mind is he?" Sahira shook her head and he sighed. "Fine. Maybe he'll see sense when passes out again." Sahira grimaced.

"I wouldn't bet on it." She sighed and got to her feet. "I need to get back. You'll be taking him for an X-ray later won't you?" Elliot nodded.

"They're backed up at the moment, so I'll be taking him down this afternoon."

"Right. Will you let me know how it looks?"

"Of course." He frowned slightly as he studied her. "Are you sure you're alright, Miss Shah?" The pretty registrar nodded.

"I'm fine." She gave him a tired smile. "This hasn't been the easiest of days." Elliot chuckled.

"I'd say not." He picked up his pen with a sigh. "I'll let you if anything changes," he said quietly. Sahira smiled gratefully and left the room.

Elliot shook his head in dismay as Sahira departed. He had guessed that the Swede would be a difficult patient, but he had never expected him to be this bad. He sighed heavily. From what Sahira had told him, it was clear that Hanssen was quite determined to get his own way, and that put Elliot in a dilemma. He did not want the consultant wearing himself out with paperwork, but neither did he want him getting worked up in constant arguments. Reluctantly, he was forced to concede defeat. He would have Greg bring the work up the next day, but if he even suspected Hanssen was overdoing it, he would sedate him without a second thought. His health was more important than paperwork. That settled, he returned to work.

After struggling with the files for another hour, Elliot gave up and got to his feet. Unlike Hanssen, or even Connie, he had no propensity for paperwork. He would far rather be out helping people than sitting behind a desk. He decided to get some lunch before tackling the rest of it, and hurriedly left the office. He paused at the door of Hanssen's room and studied him. To his relief, the Swede was still asleep, but he was restless and Elliot doubted that it would do him much good. As he watched, Hanssen mumbled something in Swedish and tried to change position, only to be prevented by the awkward position of the drain. Elliot winced, but there was nothing he could do to help. Reluctantly, he resumed his journey to the canteen.

Elliot was just finishing his lunch when Ric and Sacha entered and crossed the room to join him. Sacha sat down opposite him, an unusually serious expression on his face.

"Any news on Hanssen?" he asked anxiously. Elliot grimaced.

"He's stable." He said carefully. "He should be fine." Ric glanced at him curiously.

"But?" Elliot sighed.

"He's the most infuriating patient I've ever had to deal with," he said. His frustration was clearly audible in his voice. Ric leaned back in surprise.

"In what way?" he asked curiously.

"He wants to get straight back to work." He sighed again as he elaborated. "He's been in my care less than four hours and he's already demanding paperwork." The two surgeons stared at him, seemingly torn between alarm and amusement. Sacha recovered first.

"Is he insane?" he exclaimed. Elliot smiled slightly.

"Based on his previous actions, I would have to say not." There was a frown on Ric's face.

"You're not going to go along with it are you?" he asked sharply. His frown deepened as Elliot did not reply. "Elliot, in his condition," he began, but Elliot cut him off.

"Believe me Ric, if I had my way, he'd do nothing but sleep for a few days, but that isn't really an option." He sighed heavily. "You know better than anyone how stubborn he can be." Ric shook his head.

"Even so, how much does he expect to be able to do? The man's seriously ill for goodness' sake." Elliot spread his hands helplessly.

"I know that, and he knows it too, but it's not making any difference." He grimaced. "When I refused, he started getting rather worked up. Ridiculous as it may sound, this is the lesser of two evils." Ric still did not look happy, but he said nothing. Sacha shook his head.

"I know he's being foolish, but you can't help but admire his dedication. If I were in his place I'd just be glad of the rest." Ric snorted.

"His dedication's going to get him killed," he muttered. "You'd think a consultant surgeon would know better." Elliot raised an eyebrow.

"Ric, you've been pestering us to let you get back to work every day for the past week." The other consultant scowled.

"That's completely different," he objected. "I've recovered sufficiently to no longer endanger my own health. He hasn't even started recovering yet."

"He has a point," Sacha grinned. Elliot sighed.

"Well, Hanssen's agreed to wait until tomorrow, but it took Greg, Sahira and myself to get him to make that concession," he said wearily. "Hopefully he'll have enough sense not to overdo it."

"I can come and talk to him if you think it'll help," Ric volunteered. Elliot smiled, but shook his head.

"Thanks, but I think we can manage." His smile turned thoughtful. "I can always sedate him if I think he's getting stressed." Sacha chuckled.

"That would work," he agreed. "Although I wouldn't want to be in your shoes once he woke up."

"Me neither," said Ric with a smile. "I'd keep the sedative as a last resort." He glanced at his watch and got to his feet. "I'd better get back to Keller; there are a couple of Henrik's patients I haven't seen yet." Reluctantly, Sacha joined him.

"You will keep us informed, won't you?" Elliot nodded reassuringly.

"Not a problem." Sacha gave him a grateful smile, before the two surgeons left the room.

Lost in thought, Elliot stayed where he was for a moment. He still was not convinced that he had made the right decision, but Hanssen had not given him much choice. Shaking his head, he got to his feet. The decision had been made; there was no point in worrying. Slowly, he began making his way back to Darwin. The next few days would tell one way or another, who was right.

**Apologies again for taking so long. Please let me know what you thought.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Vulnerabilities**

**Hi everyone. I finally have an idea of where this is going :) Thank you again to everyone who's reviewed so far. I really hope you enjoy this chapter too.**

The next few days passed relatively smoothly. On the morning of the second day, Elliot visited his most troublesome patient and laid down a few rules. He placed strict limits on the amount of work he would deliver and declared in no uncertain terms that the slightest evidence that he was overdoing it would result in the end of the whole experiment. Hanssen seemed a little bemused by the CT consultant's uncharacteristically stern demeanour, but he had enough sense not to argue. Even so, Elliot was forced to put his foot down at the end of the day when he discovered that the Swede had completed all his work and was trying to convince Greg to supply him with more. It took the actual mention of a sedative to persuade Hanssen to slow down, but Elliot doubted that the spirit of cooperation would last long.

Surprisingly however, Hanssen seemed to have taken the hint, and did not try the patience of his doctor at all over the next three days. At first Elliot was suspicious, but as the days passed he began to relax. The three registrars followed his lead, and although he still sent regular updates to Sacha and Ric, Elliot concluded that the worst of it was over. In another day or two he would be able to remove the drain and, after a few days rest at home, the Swede should be fully recovered. Privately, Elliot knew the chances that Hanssen would actually use those days to rest were remote, but he had the satisfaction of knowing that the consultant could not return to work without his say-so. If he refused to rest, he would not be working any time soon.

When he returned to the ward, Elliot was surprised to find Ric standing by the desk, a worried frown on his face. A spark of relief flickered in his eyes as Elliot joined him.

"There you are. I was looking for you."

"I was needed down in the ED." He frowned at the expression on his friend's face. "Ric, what's wrong?" Ric sighed.

"You remember Emily Hopkins, the girl who needs a liver transplant?" Elliot nodded and he went on soberly. "Well, I just got a call from the locum who was meant to be assisting Sacha and I with the procedure. He's not going to be able to make it." Elliot stared at him.

"What? Why not?" Ric shrugged.

"Family problems of some sort, but that's not the point. I can't do the transplant without him." He rubbed his eyes angrily. "That girl needs that operation, Elliot."

"Can't you find someone else?" Elliot asked. Ric shook his head.

"The operation's tomorrow. I can't get anyone on such short notice." Elliot thought for a moment.

"What about Jac? She was a GS consultant, albeit briefly," he suggested.

"She has no experience of this procedure," Ric pointed out. He sighed. "That was why we needed the locum. I haven't performed a liver transplant in years, and Sacha's never done it at all. I'd ask Michael, but he's already fully booked tomorrow." He shook his head in frustration. "I've studied every text I can lay my hands on, but we're talking about the most difficult transplant there is. I've only been back at work two days; I'm not capable of doing it by myself." Elliot sighed heavily.

"That poor girl," he murmured. He glanced up. "What are you going to do?" For some reason, Ric suddenly looked uncomfortable. After a moment, he took a deep breath and met Elliot's gaze.

"There is a surgeon, here in the hospital, who successfully completed a liver transplant not two months ago." Elliot's eyes narrowed.

"Ric, please tell me you're not suggesting what I think you are." Reluctantly, Ric nodded.

"Hanssen has more experience with this procedure than anyone else in this hospital," he said quietly. "With him operating, we would have a chance to save that girl's life." There was a hint of desperation in his eyes. "Is he well enough to try?"

Elliot just stared at him. The idea was so idiotic that it took him a moment to gather his thoughts, but when he spoke, his voice was like ice.

"No, he is not, and I am not going to let him try." Ric began to argue, but Elliot spoke over him. "Ric, the man suffered a massive pneumothorax. He's not fully recovered; we haven't even removed the chest drain yet. If he attempts to operate there's a high chance he could have another one. How can you even suggest it?" Ric's eyes blazed.

"Because if I don't, a seven year old girl is going to die," he shouted. Realising people were staying at them, he lowered his voice, but his gaze lost none of its intensity. "We don't have any other options," he hissed. "I can't do the procedure by myself; Sacha and Jac just don't have the experience. Henrik's the only chance she's got." Elliot shook his head adamantly.

"I understand, but do you understand the risk he'd be taking?" He did not give his friend a chance to reply. "Liver transplants can take over ten hours. His lung's barely reinflated; if I let him go in it's almost certain to collapse again. It could even develop into a tension pneumothorax, and you know that that could be fatal. We can't risk it." For a moment, a flicker of uncertainty shone in Ric's eyes, before it was replaced by steely determination.

"He won't be needed for the whole procedure," he pointed out. "And Sacha and I will be in there too. We can keep an eye on him and send him out if he looks like he's having difficulty." Elliot did not reply, and Ric pressed his advantage. "Elliot, Emily's been waiting for a viable liver for over a year. If we don't operate tomorrow, she'll lose it, and at the rate her own is deteriorating, she won't survive the wait for a new one. If Hanssen operates, we have a chance."

Elliot was silent for several minutes. Ric had known exactly which arguments would be the most effective. Elliot was a father himself, and he could not bear the thought of a child dying while there was a chance to save her, but he also remembered the sight of Hanssen back on Keller a few days ago. The look of agony on the Swede's face was burned into his brain. The last thing he wanted was to see it again, and he feared that it would be almost inevitable if he tried to operate in his present condition. He glanced up at Ric.

"Is there any way you could delay the operation?" he asked desperately. "We haven't even removed the chest drain yet. I'd feel a little happier if I was sure his lung would reinflate properly." Ric was shaking his head.

"We can't," he said. "The liver will be arriving tomorrow morning, and it'll be a stretch to implant it in time as it is. I'm sorry, but we can't afford to wait." Elliot sighed heavily. After a moment, he spoke.

"There is a possibility that we could remove the drain today. His X-rays from yesterday showed that the recovery was progressing smoothly, despite his insistence on burdening himself with work. But we would still be left with the possibility of another attack, and he wouldn't be much good if he collapsed in the middle of the theatre." A spark of hope entered Ric's eyes.

"But you say that there is a chance?" Elliot sighed again.

"There is a possibility, yes, but the risks are still very high." He shook his head. "I suggest you ask him. I strongly advise against attempting it, but it will have to be his decision." Ric straightened eagerly.

"Is he up to having visitors?" Elliot grimaced.

"Well, he's up to working his way through an absurd amount of patient notes, so I'd say so." Ric flashed him a quick smile and strode off down the corridor. Reluctantly, Elliot followed him.

As always, Elliot had to supress the urge to protest at the size of the pile of work in front of the Swede. Even Ric looked slightly stunned. Hanssen glanced up as they entered, and gave a brief smile.

"Good morning, gentlemen." Elliot nodded at him.

"How are you feeling?" he asked. Hanssen shrugged carefully.

"Better," he said simply. He glanced at Ric. "How is everything on Keller, Mr. Griffin?" Ric was again beginning to look uncomfortable, and Elliot suspected that he had been trying to forget the fact that the Swede really was ill. He sighed.

"Actually, there's been a slight problem," he admitted. Hanssen glanced at him sharply.

"Emily Hopkins, your liver transplant recipient." Ric stared at him in astonishment.

"How did you know it was about that?" he exclaimed. "In fact, how did you know about it at all?" The Swede leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Liver transplants are expensive; the board asked my opinion on the viability of the procedure yesterday. They are also extremely complex; therefore you would logically spend as much time as possible preparing for one. Finally, you have not performed the operation in nearly six years, whereas I completed one less than two months ago. Ergo, the only reason you would be consulting me at this time would be a problem with that particular patient." Elliot smiled slightly.

"Elementary, my dear Ric," he murmured. Ric shot him a sharp glance, before turning back to the Swede.

"The locum I engaged is no longer able to perform the procedure," he explained. "And, as you say, I am out of practice." Hanssen met his gaze steadily.

"I see." He glanced at Elliot. "You opinion Mr. Hope?" Elliot shook his head in confusion.

"You don't even know what he's asking yet." Hanssen looked him and sighed.

"It's hardly a complex problem," he pointed out mildly. "Mr. Griffin would like my assistance with the transplant. I would like to hear your opinion on the matter." Elliot sighed.

"I don't think it is a good idea," he said. He shot Ric an apologetic look as he continued. "The possibility of another pneumothorax is extremely high, and there are a number of other complications, some of which could be fatal. If you want my advice, I'd recommend you stay in bed." Hanssen nodded slowly, then looked at Ric.

"What is your estimate of the patient's chances of survival?" he asked. Ric thought for a moment.

"With you, about 80-85%," he said. "Without, considerably less." He hesitated a moment, then added "Henrik, she's seven years old. With this procedure, she could have decades more to live."

"And you could also shorten your own considerably," interrupted Elliot. "The risk is too great."

"She's a little girl," spluttered Ric. "She won't get a better chance than this."

"Enough!" Both men fell silent as Hanssen's voice cracked like a whip. The consultant had one hand pressed to his chest, and his face was slightly pale. "Mr. Hope, if you wouldn't mind." Hurriedly, Elliot adjusted the morphine drip, and, after a moment, the Swede relaxed a little.

"Thank you." Elliot glared at Ric.

"You see?" he said acidly. "How do expect him to complete a ten hour operation in this state?" Ric glared back.

"A lot of that is down to the drain," he pointed out. "Once that's been removed, he'll be in a lot less pain."

"Yes, until his lung collapses again."

"That might not happen."

"Have you seen his last X-rays?"

"I am right here, gentlemen," Hanssen commented dryly. Both surgeons glanced at him in embarrassment.

"Sorry," Ric muttered. Elliot nodded apologetically.

"It's up to you of course," he said. "We'll give you some time to think about it." The Swede shook his head.

"That will not be necessary." Elliot and Ric exchanged glances.

"You've made a decision already?" asked Ric in surprise. Hanssen raised an eyebrow.

"There was only one possible option," he pointed out. "Now Mr. Hope, would you be so good as to remove the drain for me please?" Elliot's eyes widened.

"You're going to do the surgery? Henrik, are you sure? The risks…"

"The risks are acceptable," interrupted Hanssen. "I refuse to let a child die when it could be prevented." He glanced at Ric, who was struggling to conceal a grin. "Mr. Griffin, I will need Miss Hopkins' notes." Ric nodded.

"I'll bring them up." There was a deep respect in his eyes as he met the Swede's gaze. "Thank you, Henrik."

"You're welcome." Ric nodded to Elliot and left the room.

Once he was gone, Elliot folded his arms and gave his patient a hard stare.

"Henrik, what do you think you're doing?" Hanssen glanced at him, his expression inscrutable.

"I am doing my job," he said quietly. "I am saving a child's life." Elliot shook his head in exasperation.

"Do you not understand the risk to yourself?" he snapped. "Henrik, if you develop a tension pneumothorax you could die." Hanssen nodded calmly.

"The thought had occurred to me," he admitted. "Which is why I would like you to be present during the operation."

Hanssen's request completely took the wind out of Elliot's sails. His first thought was of relief, at least the Swede was acknowledging the risks involved in the enterprise, but he quickly realised there was more to it than that. Despite his urbane demeanour, Hanssen was afraid of his condition. He had had to live with it for most of his life, never knowing when it would strike, but knowing that it would bring agony when it did. Elliot suspected that he had never admitted to anyone just how much he hated it, even to himself, which made his request even more unusual. It meant that Hanssen trusted him enough to ask for his help. And Elliot had seen for himself how difficult it was to earn the Swede's trust. He nodded in understanding.

"Of course." He sighed. "You would be a lot better off staying in bed though." Hanssen smiled slightly.

"That was never a viable option," he said quietly. He gestured at the drain. "Now, if you wouldn't mind?" Elliot nodded reluctantly.

"Very well. But if your X-ray this afternoon doesn't show that your lung has completely reinflated, I'm putting it back and you will not be going anywhere near theatre, understood?" Hanssen nodded, and Elliot could see the satisfaction in his eyes. Suppressing a sigh, he set to work.

It did not take long to remove the drain. Once again, Hanssen proved to be an easy patient; he did not make a sound as Elliot carefully removed the tube and stitched up the entry site. He did let out a long sigh as Elliot finished though.

"My thanks, Mr. Hope," he said quietly. "That is something of a relief." Elliot nodded.

"Try not to move for a while," he said firmly. "I'll be back soon to take you for an X-ray." The Swede nodded acknowledgement and lay back. Satisfied, he would listen, Elliot left the room.

His thoughts were in a whirl as he made his way back to his office. Part of him was frustrated that Hanssen had ignored his advice, but a larger part could not hep but feel pure relief. It looked like little Emily would live. He knew that she could not be in better hands, Ric and Hanssen working in concert were a formidable combination. He smiled slightly. Relations between those two had improved considerably since Hanssen removed Ric's tumour. If anyone could successfully replace her liver, it was them. If, that is, Hanssen did not collapse mid-operation. Elliot shook his head sharply. He would be in theatre himself, and Ric and Sacha would both be on the alert. None of them would hesitate if Hanssen seemed to be in difficulty. Hopefully it would be enough.

**Thank you for reading. Please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Vulnerabilities**

**Hi, hope everyone had a good Easter. Thank you again to everyone who's reviewed so far. I really hope you like this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Ric Griffin was in a pensive mood the next morning. Not because he was nervous about the operation, but because he still was not sure he had done the right thing. He knew he had not had any other choice, but part of him was slightly uneasy about how fervently he had argued for Henrik Hanssen's involvement.

He had plenty of good reasons. The little girl would die without that operation, and Ric had not performed a liver transplant for many years. Normally he would be able to work around that; rereading case studies and research journals had filled most of the gaps in his memory, but, thanks to his cancer, he had not been able to operate for months. Ric knew he was seriously out of practice, and he could not risk Emily's life unnecessarily. Unfortunately, that meant risking Hanssen's instead.

Ric shook his head as he remembered his conversation with Elliot. The CT consultant had been understandably dismayed at his suggestion, and had argued equally passionately against it. Ric had to admit that he had been slightly shocked at the extent of the complications possible with the Swede's condition; he had completely forgotten, for example, the possibility of a tension pneumothorax developing, a life threatening condition that could develop in anything from several hours to a few minutes. If that happened, even with two consultants and a registrar present, Hanssen would be in considerable danger. But he did not have a choice. Hanssen might come to harm if he proceeded with the operation, but Emily definitely would without it.

With an effort, Ric tried to put his concerns to one side. He was on his way to brief Hanssen on the procedure, and he knew that if Elliot saw him he would again try and change his mind. The CT consultant may have agreed to his patient undertaking the operation, but Ric knew that any sign of doubt on his part would be instantly used against him. By the time he reached Darwin, he had his concerns hidden behind his usual professional facade.

Greg Douglas was the only person around when he arrived. The Irish registrar glanced up at his approach and nodded in greeting.

"Good morning, Mr. Griffin. What can I do for you today?" Ric held up Emily's records.

"Mr. Hanssen asked me up to discuss a patient," he said. Greg's eyes widened slightly.

"He's actually going ahead with it then?" he asked incredulously. Ric nodded.

"Something wrong, Mr. Douglas?"

"No, not at all." Greg shook his head, but his frown remained in place. "Isn't that a bit risky?" he asked hesitantly. Ric glanced at him.

"I have discussed it in detail with both Mr. Hanssen and Mr. Hope," he said mildly. "We are aware of the risks involved." Greg was clearly unconvinced, but something in Ric's tone warned him not to argue further. Instead he nodded.

"Alright. I'm not actually sure if Hanssen's awake yet; he's been sleeping badly all week. Last night was the first proper rest he's had in a while." Ric frowned.

"Elliot never mentioned that." Greg shrugged.

"Well, it's understandable. A chest drain isn't the most comfortable of treatments."

"Effective though," Ric pointed out. "His lung did reinflate properly then?"

"Yep, much to Elliot's chagrin. He was looking for any excuse to forbid that op you know." Ric sighed.

"I can't really blame him." Greg nodded sympathetically and got to his feet.

"Come on; let's see if he's awake." He grimaced suddenly. "Although if he is we're going to have a Herculean task keeping him in bed. It was bad enough while the drain was in." Ric smiled as he followed the tall registrar.

"I can imagine." Greg grinned as he came to a halt outside Hanssen's room and peered through the window. Seeing that the consultant was awake, he knocked once and pushed open the door.

Ric was relieved to see the Swede looking rather more alert than he had the previous day. The removal of the drain and a good night's sleep had evidently done him some good. He gave a slight smile as the two doctors entered.

"Good morning, Mr. Griffin, Mr. Douglas." Greg moved to his side.

"How are you feeling?" he asked anxiously. Hanssen shifted slightly as he allowed Greg to examine his stitches.

"Much better, thank you." His gaze shifted to Ric. "Are we all ready, Mr. Griffin?" Ric nodded.

"No problems so far." He handed over the file as Greg stepped aside. The registrar smiled.

"Well, you seem to be healing fine. I expect Mr. Hope will want to check you over before you leave though." Hanssen sighed and glanced up from the notes.

"Of course he will," he murmured. He glanced at Ric. "This appears relatively straightforward." Ric nodded in agreement.

"If all goes according to plan, it shouldn't take more than six or seven hours." He frowned slightly. "You will be alright with that, won't you?" Hanssen's eyes narrowed.

"I shall be fine," he replied shortly. Ric sighed and glanced at Greg. The registrar caught his meaning and turned to Hanssen.

"I need to get going, but I'll be back with Mr. Hope later."

"Thank you."

Once Greg had left, Ric met Hanssen's gaze squarely.

"Henrik, are you sure you can do this?" The Swede stared at him in surprise.

"I would not have said I could if I wasn't," he pointed out. Ric nodded.

"I know, but you heard what Elliot said yesterday."

"Yes, and it does not change anything." Hanssen frowned slightly. "And you weren't so concerned yourself at the time." Ric shifted uneasily.

"Maybe I was more concerned with the patient," he admitted. "I'm sorry." Hanssen shook his head.

"Perfectly understandable. But, despite Mr. Hope's opinion, I can complete this op. Trust me." Ric smiled slightly.

"After everything that's happened? Of course I do." The Swede inclined his head slightly.

"Thank you." Ric nodded and got to his feet.

"I'd better check on the patient. The op starts in two hours." Hanssen nodded.

"I will see you there then." He returned his attention to the noted as Ric left the room.

Sahira Shah muttered a curse as she caught sight of the time. Her babysitter had let her down yet again, and she was running rather late. No doubt Jac Naylor would have something to say about her organisational skills, or lack of them. Greg grinned as she appeared on the ward.

"What time do you call this?" he asked. Despite his joking tone, Sahira glared at him.

"Not now, Greg," she said waspishly. "Where's Jac?" Greg raised his arms placatingly.

"Hey, calm down, she was needed on AAU. You're safe for now." Sahira rolled her eyes, but the irritation let her face.

"Good. Elliot?"

"In his office. I don't think he's even noticed." Sahira let out a long sigh of relief.

"Alright then." She straightened up. "What have we got today?" Greg handed her a pile of notes.

"Nothing too difficult so far," he said. "Elliot and I have done the ward rounds already." Sahira nodded absently as she flicked through the files.

"How's Hanssen doing?" she asked. Greg grinned.

"Pretty well. Elliot discharged him this morning." Sahira glanced up in surprise.

"Discharged him? He's only been in five days." Greg winced.

"Ah, you haven't heard."

"Haven't heard what?" Greg sighed.

"Mr. Griffin needs him to help with a liver transplant," he explained. "Elliot removed the chest drain yesterday." Sahira gazed at him in dismay.

"You're joking." At the serious expression on Greg's face, she exploded. "His lung's barely reinflated! How's he supposed to do a liver transplant in that state? If he were to develop another pneumothorax…"

"That's what Elliot said," said Greg soothingly. "But they really do need his help." Sahira took a deep breath as she tried to collect herself.

"Alright, when's this going to take place? Next week?" Greg grimaced.

"More like in about an hour and a half."

"What?" Greg tried to interrupt, but she ignored him. "This is ridiculous, Greg, you know he can't go into theatre so soon." Greg spread his arms helplessly.

"Elliot had no choice. He doesn't want this to go ahead any more than you do, but Hanssen insisted." Sahira's eyes narrowed.

"Did he now?" With that, she turned on her heel and began walking away. Greg stared after her.

"Where are you going?" he called.

"To talk some sense into him." Greg shook his head in dismay, but did not try to stop her. Sahira had known the Swede far longer than he had. If anyone could change his mind, it was her.

There was a thunderous scowl on Sahira's face as she made her way to her friend's room. She was furious that Ric would ask him to operate in such a state, and equally angry with Elliot for agreeing to it. The main part of her wrath was reserved for Hanssen though. Sahira had thought she had seen the limits of the Swede's stubbornness in his refusal to slow down, but she had never considered that he would be so foolhardy as to try operating in such a state. She did not bother knocking as she burst into his room.

Hanssen glanced up in surprise at her sudden entrance. The consultant was already dressed, and there was a file in his hands. He frowned at the sight of her.

"You used to know how to knock," he said disapprovingly. Sahira ignored his icy tone and glared at him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hanssen raised an eyebrow.

"I've been discharged," he said mildly. "Mr. Hope signed the forms himself." Sahira shook her head.

"I meant the operation," she said sharply. The Swede tilted his head to one side curiously.

"You don't think I can do it?" Sahira took a deep breath as she tried to control her temper.

"In normal circumstances, yes," she said. "But you're ill, Henrik. You shouldn't even be standing." Hanssen frowned.

"I appreciate the concern, Sahira, but I have made my decision. Please respect it." The registrar looked at him in dismay.

"Henrik, you know what could happen if you don't rest properly. Ric can find someone else to do the op." Hanssen shook his head.

"There is no one else." He sighed. "How much do you know about the case, Sahira?" he asked.

"Nothing." He nodded.

"The patient is a seven year old girl," he said quietly. "She has been fighting cancer for the past two years." Sahira closed her eyes. She was a mother herself, and could not bear the thought of a child suffering like that. Hanssen continued, dark eyes fixed on her face. "She has been waiting for a liver for eight months. If she misses this opportunity, she may not be able to survive the wait for another." He broke off suddenly, pain audible in his voice. Sahira glanced at him in concern, but he recovered so quickly that she thought she must be mistaken. He sighed heavily. "What would you do in my place?" he asked softly.

Sahira looked away. He knew what her answer would be; she did not have to say it. She did not try to argue further. Taking a deep breath, she glanced back to him.

"Save her, Henrik. But please be careful." Hanssen looked at her, and for a moment there was such anguish in his eyes that she caught her breath. Then it vanished, and he was gazing at her with his usual mix of compassion and distance. He nodded.

"I will do my best," he said quietly. Sahira gave him a small smile and left the room. She had work to do, and she had to concentrate. But she could not stop her thoughts turning to her friend, and to an unknown child, and she was barely able to reach the safety of the staffroom before she burst into tears. Henrik might be able to save the little girl, but what would the cost be to him?

An hour and a half later, the same thought was in Elliot's mind as he watched the Swede make the first incision. Hanssen's movements were swift and assured; no one looking at him would suspect there was anything wrong. But Elliot knew, and Ric and Sacha knew, and they were all desperately worried. So far Hanssen had not shown any sign of difficulty, but Elliot knew how quickly a pneumothorax could develop. Normally there would be plenty of indications of a complication, but Sahira had warned him that the Swede was notoriously good at hiding discomfort, and Elliot feared that his concern for the patient would override his common sense. That was why he had demanded to be present; if anything did happen, he would be able to deal with it without interrupting the operation.

Ric met his gaze as Hanssen began to remove the diseased liver. This was the most complicated part of the procedure, mainly because the risk of a bleed was so great, but once it was over Ric was confident that he would be able to continue by himself if necessary. All the Swede had to do was get them through that section, then Elliot would be able to force him to stop.

Despite his recent illness, Hanssen moved without hesitation, and Elliot began to relax; even allowing himself to admire the Swede's skill. From the look on Sacha's face, he was not the only one. Even Ric's eyes held a certain level of respect as Hanssen completed a particularly difficult manoeuvre.

"Nice work," he said quietly. Hanssen gave him a slight smile, before returning his attention to his work. His shoulders suddenly tightened and he froze momentarily. Elliot stepped forward anxiously.

"Henrik? Are you alright?" The Swede nodded.

"Perfectly." The tension had vanished, but Elliot was not convinced. A quick glance at Ric showed him that the other consultant had not missed it either, but Hanssen was already on the next step and Elliot knew better than to interrupt. Still, he did not move back. Something told him that Hanssen was in more discomfort than he was letting on and he was determined to keep a close eye on him. If it looked like it was getting any worse, he would take the Swede off the operation without a second thought.

Another hour passed, and though the operation was going well, it soon became clear that Hanssen was struggling. His breathing was becoming steadily more ragged as time went on, and his normally pale skin had taken on an unhealthy ashen pallor. Elliot was becoming increasingly more concerned, but he knew that Ric did not feel capable of handling this part of the operation. Against his better judgement, he was forced to allow the Swede to continue.

Somehow, despite his increasing discomfort, Hanssen continued to perform flawlessly. He had nearly completed his part of the procedure when an alarm warned them that there was trouble.

"We've got a bleed," Ric said calmly. Hanssen did not reply, but the sudden urgency in his movements betrayed his concern. After a few moments, he nodded.

"Here." His voice was tight with controlled pain. "Swabs please, Mr. Griffin." Ric followed his lead, and together the two consultants battled to control the bleed. Elliot watched helplessly, knowing that they had minutes to get it under control before the blood loss became too much for the girl's already overtaxed body to handle.

Abruptly, the alarm fell silent. Elliot let out a long sigh of relief and closed his eyes, thankful that disaster had been averted. After a moment, he glanced at Ric.

"Well done," he murmured. Ric shook his head.

"Not me." He nodded at Hanssen, but his smile quickly turned to alarm. "Henrik!" Elliot whipped his head round. The Swede's face was bone grey, and he was trembling with the strain of maintaining his fragile control.

"Can you carry on, Mr. Griffin?" His voice was barely audible. Ric nodded.

"Don't worry about us. Get out of here." Wearily, Hanssen stepped aside to allow Sacha to take his place. He staggered slightly as he did so, and Elliot caught his arm to steady him.

"Come on; let's get you out of here." He glanced back to Ric, who was watching with concern. "Focus on your patient. I'll take care of him." Ric nodded briefly and returned his attention to his patient as the two consultants left the room.

Elliot shook his head in dismay as the Swede washed away the memory of the operation.

"How long have you been in pain?" he asked. Henrik sighed. He felt dreadful; his chest was burning and his vision was beginning to blur. The last thing he needed was a lecture, but he knew that the other consultant was genuinely concerned for his well-being.

"Since this morning," he admitted. He held up a hand to forestall the inevitable protest. "I had no choice, Elliot. You would not have agreed had you known." Elliot glared at him.

"Of course I wouldn't," he snapped. "Now we need to get you back to Darwin before that trapped air starts putting pressure on your coronary arteries." He scowled. "Four hours. You do know a tension pneumothorax can be fatal don't you?" Henrik nodded as he followed him out into the corridor, one hand pressed against his aching chest. His vision was deteriorating rapidly now, and with a jolt of alarm, Henrik realised Elliot was right. This time he had pushed himself too far. His last coherent thought was that Sahira would never let him forget it. Then he felt himself falling, heard Elliot shouting, and then everything went black.

**Was that mean? Sorry. Please let me know**** what you thought.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Vulnerabilities**

**Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews! They are very much appreciated. Hopefully you won't be disappointed.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Elliot turned just in time to see the last of the colour drain from the Swede's face. With a cry of alarm, he leapt forward, just as Hanssen's legs buckled and he fell to the floor. He was just able to catch the falling consultant, and lowered him down more carefully. Grimly, he noted that things were even worse than he had thought. As he had feared, Hanssen had developed a tension pneumothorax, and his refusal to let them treat it had caused a dangerous amount of air to build up around his lungs. Elliot could not be sure without tests, but he was sure that the Swede's lung had collapsed again, but more serious was the pressure that had been exerted on his coronary arteries. As a result, Hanssen had gone into shock and there was now a serious chance that he could die.

Elliot knew he had to move fast. Fortunately, he had anticipated complications, and had warned Greg to be ready with an emergency kit. The registrar acknowledged his page immediately, and Elliot returned his attention to his patient.

Hanssen looked dreadful. His clammy skin was bone grey, and his breathing was a harsh rattle as his one functioning lung tried to draw in enough oxygen. Elliot watched helplessly; until Greg arrived there was nothing he could do. Silently he cursed the fact that he was outside a Keller theatre; a Darwin theatre would have the equipment he needed. He could not even ask for help from the operating team, who had quite enough to handle already. For a moment he wondered how they were getting on, but just as rapidly dismissed them from mind. He had his own patient to worry about.

Running footsteps alerted him to Greg's arrival, and a moment later, the registrar came to a halt next to him. His face paled slightly as he realised the severity of Hanssen's condition.

"My God," he murmured as he knelt next to them. "Is he going to be alright?" Elliot shook his head.

"Not unless we perform a needle decompression immediately," he said. "You brought the equipment I asked for?" Greg handed over a case, professional instincts overcoming his surprise.

"Right here, but are you sure you don't want to do that on Darwin?" Elliot glanced at him incredulously.

"Greg, he's gone into cardiogenic shock," he pointed out sharply. "We have to do this now." Greg did not argue further and carefully began opening the Swede's shirt while Elliot located the required equipment. A few seconds later they were both ready.

Elliot took a deep breath as he prepared to insert the needle tube. He had done this many times before, but never when the patient was so ill, and he knew that a mistake could be disastrous in Hanssen's present condition. Without further hesitation, he positioned the needle beneath the consultant's second rib and carefully pushed it into his chest.

The resulting rush of air confirmed his diagnosis, and Elliot was relieved to see the Swede's breathing became easier almost immediately. Greg quickly placed an oxygen mask over his face, and the grey tinge began to fade from Hanssen's face. The registrar glanced at him.

"Nice one." Elliot sighed.

"Thank you," he replied. "We're going to have to take him to the ICU. Can you fetch a trolley?" Greg nodded.

"No problem." He strode off down the corridor, and Elliot busied himself cleaning the area around the needle. The needle was only a temporary solution; as soon as they got to the ICU he would have to insert another chest drain, and, thanks to the shock, Hanssen would be staying there for at least the next week. After that he would have to spend another several days resting if he did not want a repeat performance. Elliot sighed. It had been hard enough keeping the Swede in bed for five days. He was beginning to dread the next couple of weeks.

Impatiently, he glanced round for Greg. Hanssen was out of immediate danger, but they still needed to get him to a proper ward. At that moment, the registrar reappeared with a trolley. Michael Spence was with him, and the American's eyes widened with surprise as he saw them.

"Oh, my God." He looked at Elliot in shock. "What happened?" Elliot sighed.

"Tension pneumothorax," he explained. "And he hid the symptoms for so long that he went into shock." Michael shook his head in dismay.

"I thought he had recovered." Elliot grimaced.

"Barely. He should be resting, not trying to perform a liver transplant." Michael looked slightly abashed.

"Oh yeah, Ric's patient." He sighed. "If I hadn't already had a patient booked for this morning I'd have volunteered instead." He shook his head. "Anyway, you need to get him to ICU. C'mon, I'll give you a hand."

It took several minutes for the three men to manoeuvre Hanssen onto the trolley. The Swede remained completely oblivious to the world, even when the tube fell out, and Elliot had to move quickly to replace it. The CT consultant was becoming slightly concerned; now that some of the pressure had been relieved, Hanssen should be starting to come round. Evidently the shock was having a far greater effect on him than they had thought. As soon as he was secured, they wheeled him off to the ICU.

A few minutes later, they reached the ward, and Michael started setting up the monitors while Elliot saw to his patient. Greg, meanwhile, had disappeared, but returned a few moments later with a chest drain and the relevant equipment. Elliot smiled at his initiative.

"Thank you. Will you be alright to assist?" Greg nodded.

"Of course." Michael cleared his throat softly.

"Elliot, I'd like to stay, but I really need to be getting back to Keller." Elliot nodded absently.

"Yes, of course, go if you need to." Michael lingered at the door, his eyes on the still unconscious consultant.

"You're sure you don't need any help?" Elliot glanced at him.

"We'll be fine," he said gently. "Thank you for help." Michael shrugged slightly.

"No problem. Good luck." He left the room and Greg handed Elliot a gown and a mask. The registrar's face was uncharacteristically grave.

"Are you sure he's gonna be okay?" he asked cautiously. "That's a pretty serious pneumothorax, and we don't know how easily he'll recover from the shock yet." Elliot shot him a sharp glance.

"We will do our best," he said firmly. "In time, there's no reason why he won't make a full recovery." Greg still did not look happy.

"I know, but this is, what, his sixth pneumothorax? He's almost certain to have a relapse at some point." Elliot sighed.

"We may have to discuss him having a pleurodesis in the future," he admitted. "But for now, we need to get this drain in." Greg nodded and handed him a scalpel. Elliot took it with a nod of thanks and turned to his patient. At least he did not have to search for an entry site. Grimly Elliot sliced through the stitches he had placed in only the previous day and set to work.

Once again, the procedure went without any further problems, and Elliot was soon putting in the last set of stitches. He shook his head as he tied off the knots.

"He's not going to be happy about this," he murmured. Greg glanced at him.

"It's better than being dead," he pointed out. "Now all we've got to do is convince him to stay put." He smiled at the expression of dismay on Elliot's face. "Look on the bright side, after this he's not going to be nearly as bad as last time." Elliot sighed.

"We can hope." He frowned as he studied his patient. Hanssen's breathing was sounding much easier, and his face, although still very pale, had lost its ashen pallor, but he still showed no sign of waking. Greg followed his gaze.

"What do we do now?" he asked. Elliot sighed.

"We wait," he said simply. "Give him some pain relief, keep him warm, and hope he hasn't done any permanent damage." He shook his head. "I should never have agreed to let him operate so soon." Greg glanced at him.

"Elliot, he was going to do it with or without your permission. At least by agreeing to it you were able to help him when it mattered." Elliot nodded slowly.

"I suppose you're right." He sighed. "We should get back to Darwin. I'll check on him later this afternoon." Greg nodded.

"I'll tell the nurses what to look out for."

"Thank you." Elliot tidied away their equipment while Greg spoke to the nurse. Despite the registrar's words, he could not help but blame himself for Hanssen's condition. If he had insisted the Swede remain in bed, he would not be in such danger, but after Ric's argument, neither of them had much choice. Elliot's lips tightened. He would have to have a word with Ric once he was finished in theatre. Seeing Greg was finished, Elliot checked the Swede's final condition one more time before they returned to Darwin.

Once they arrived back, Elliot turned to Greg.

"Thank you for your help today, Greg," he said quietly. The registrar grinned.

"No problem. If there's anything else I can do, just let me know." Elliot sighed.

"Actually, there is. Can you ask Ms Shah to come to my office please?" Greg looked at him sympathetically.

"Sure." He departed on his errand while Elliot made his way to his office. He was not looking forward to the iminent converstion. A few minutes later, Sahira pushed open the door. Her normally cheerful face was lined with worry.

"Elliot, what's happened? Greg wouldn't tell me anything." Elliot sighed wearily.

"Take a seat, Ms Shah." Sahira sat down opposite, her frown deepening.

"Is it about Henrik?" Elliot nodded.

"I'm afraid so." He took a deep breath. "Mr. Hanssen collapsed outside theatre this afternoon." Sahira went pale as he continued. "It turned out that he had been experiencing chest pains all morning which developed into tension pneumothorax when left untreated. This caused him to go into shock." Sahira found her voice.

"Is he alright?" she asked. Elliot sighed.

"He's in the ICU and stable for now, but he's still unconscious. Until he wakes up, we won't know the extent of the damage." He sighed. "He completed his part in the transplant perfectly, but the stress was just too much. I'm sorry." Sahira shook her head.

"It's not your fault," she said quietly. "I should have realised something was wrong." She sighed. "Can I see him?" Elliot nodded.

"Yes, but please keep it brief. And let me know if there's any change." Sahira gave him a grateful smile and almost ran from the room. Elliot sighed and turned to the pile of paperwork. He knew he would find it difficult to concentrate on work today.

Sahira came to a halt outside the ICU. Her need to see for herself the extent of her friend's injuries was warring with her fear of what she might find. Her concern won out over the fear. Taking a deep breath, Sahira pushed open the door.

She was stunned at how ill he looked. After his last pneumothorax he had looked and acted like his usual self; so much so that she had almost been able to forget his condition. This time he was not even conscious, and a single glance at the monitors showed her just how weak he was. Numbly, she moved forward and took the seat next to the bed. She suddenly realised exactly how much she owed him; it was his guidance that had made her the surgeon she was, and he was the one who had introduced her to the man who would become her husband. She swallowed as she felt tears prick at her eyes. He was only in this state because he had tried to help. He had put another's health before his own, and his selflessness had cost him dearly.

Remembering Elliot's words, Sahira got to her feet. Jac would be annoyed by her absence at it was, but she still lingered by the door. She knew there was a good chance that he would recover, but it was still very difficult to see him like that. Shaking her head she returned to Darwin. Henrik would be alright. He had to be.

Elliot spent the next two hours dividing his attention between his patients on Darwin and the ICU. Hanssen remained oblivious to his presence, and although he did not mention it to his staff, Elliot was becoming increasingly concerned. His tests showed that the Swede's condition was improving, but he was stubbornly refusing to come out of his coma. He was up on the ICU for the fourth time when the doors opened to reveal Ric and Sacha with their transplant patient.

At first, neither surgeon realised that Hanssen was there. Ric grinned at Elliot.

"We did it," he said proudly. "There were a few near misses, but it was a success." He frowned at the expression on Elliot's face. "Elliot, what's the matter?" Sacha paled slightly and caught his arm.

"Ric." Ric turned and his mouth fell open.

"Oh, no." He and Sacha moved to the Swede's side as the nurses saw to Emily. Elliot folded his arms.

"He was hiding a pneumothorax," he said. His voice was tight with suppressed anger. "Because he waited so long it developed into a tension pneumothorax, which then caused him to go into cardiogenic shock. He collapsed right outside theatre." Ric looked slightly sick.

"Elliot," he began, but Elliot cut him off.

"I told you he wasn't well enough," he snapped. "If we had waited any longer he could have died, and would you even have cared?" Ric jerked back as if slapped.

"He saved my life," he snarled. "Of course I would have cared."

"You've got a funny way of showing it," Elliot retorted. Sacha stepped between them.

"Look, let's all just calm down," he said firmly. He glanced at Elliot. "Is he going to be alright?" Elliot sighed, his anger dissipating.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I've inserted another chest drain, but it's not having as great an effect as we'd hoped. I don't know if we left it too late." Ric stared at him, his own anger fading as the reality of the situation hit home.

"How long was he hiding the pain?" he asked quietly. Elliot shook his head.

"Since early this morning at least," he said. He sighed heavily. "I should have noticed sooner." Ric looked away.

"No, I shouldn't have asked him to do it in the first place. You were right; he wasn't ready." He shook his head in disgust. "I could have found someone else to do the transplant, but I had to take the easy way out." Sacha glared at him.

"Don't be foolish," he snapped. "You had no choice, just as Elliot couldn't have known he was ill." He sighed. "At the end of the day, Mr. Hanssen's alive and Miss Hopkins is alive." He attempted a smile. "That's not such a bad result." Ric shook his head stubbornly.

"There must have been another way," he insisted. Sacha looked at him in exasperation.

"But we didn't think of it," he pointed out. "What's the point in worrying about the past now? That won't help Hanssen will it?" Eliot gave a faint smile.

"He has a point, Ric," he said quietly. It was clear that Ric did not agree, but he nodded anyway.

"Maybe." He glanced at Elliot. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." Elliot smiled sadly.

"You only wanted what was best for your patient. I can't blame you for that." Ric gave him a slight smile and looked at Hanssen.

"What do you think of his chances?" he asked quietly. Elliot spread his arms helplessly.

"I don't know," he replied honestly. "But I have hope." Sacha nodded agreement.

"He'll be fine," he said optimistically. "In a couple of weeks he'll be back to striding around like the Grim Reaper terrifying everyone who sees him." Elliot laughed, and even Ric could not help but grin.

"I hope so," he murmured. His smile faded slightly. If Hanssen did not recover, Ric knew he would find it very difficult to forgive himself.

**Please let me know what you thought.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Vulnerabilities**

**Chapter Eight**

**Apologies for the delay, I kept getting stuck on this chapter. Thank you so much for all the reviews though, they're really encouraging.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Ric Griffin let out a long sigh as he stared down at the unconscious form of Henrik Hanssen. His shift had finished nearly an hour ago, but Ric had found that he was unable to leave without checking on the Swede's condition. To his dismay, there had been no change; Hanssen remained stable but unconscious, and the nurse had told him that there had he had not stirred during the afternoon either. Ric was not terribly surprised; the consultant had placed an incredible amount of stress on his body, but he could not help but feel increasingly concerned as time went on.

His unease was not helped by the knowledge that it was all his fault. Ever since Elliot had confronted him, Ric had been unable to supress his guilt over pushing Hanssen to undertake the operation. Sacha had spent most of the afternoon trying to convince him otherwise, but Ric could not deny the facts: if he had listened to Elliot, Hanssen would not now be in this situation. If the CT consultant had not also insisted on being present during the operation, there was a very real possibility that Hanssen could have died. That thought made him feel slightly sick.

Wearily, Ric got to his feet. There was nothing he could do for the Swede, and he had a long day ahead of him tomorrow. He was just turning to leave when the bleep of the heart monitor sped up. Ric spun in alarm. Hanssen's breathing had suddenly deepened, and as Ric watched, his eyes flickered open and let out a low moan. Hurriedly, Ric returned to his side.

"Henrik? Henrik, can you hear me?" The consultant seemed dazed as he met Ric's gaze, but after a moment, the confusion in his eyes faded. He drew in a breath to reply, but was suddenly overcome by a fit of hacking coughs. Automatically, he tried to sit up, but could not suppress a sharp gasp of pain as the chest drain prevented the movement. Gently, Ric pushed him back down.

"Easy, don't try to sit up," he said soothingly. He grabbed the oxygen mask and carefully positioned it over Hanssen's face. "Just breathe." Gradually, the coughing fit abated, and Hanssen had gathered enough control to be able to mask the worst of the pain. He glanced up at Ric and gave a grateful nod.

"Thank you, Mr. Griffin." The pain and exhaustion in his voice were all too easy to hear. Ric's brow furrowed with concern.

"How are you feeling?" he asked gently. Hanssen gave a wan smile.

"I have been better," he admitted. Ric's frown deepened. He had known Hanssen long enough to know that the Swede detested showing weakness. The pain must be immense for him to admit he was suffering. Wordlessly, he got up and adjusted the morphine drip. After a moment, Hanssen relaxed slightly, but his face was still drawn and haggard.

"Thank you," he murmured. Ric sighed.

"You should get some more rest," he said quietly. "You went into shock earlier you know." Hanssen's eyes widened slightly.

"I see." He frowned. "How long have I been here?"

"About six hours." An authoritative note entered his voice. "Now go to sleep. I'll be back with Elliot tomorrow." Hanssen nodded slowly.

"An excellent suggestion." His eyes were already drifting closed. "You might want to take it yourself too." Ric rolled his eyes.

"You're not supposed to be concerned about me," he began, but his words fell upon deaf ears. Hanssen was already sound asleep.

Ric shook his head and got to his feet again. He was relieved that the Swede would recover, but guilt still nagged at the back of his mind. Wearily, he left the room, but not to go home. Instead, he went to look for Elliot.

To his relief, Elliot was still in his office. The CT consultant glanced up in surprise as Ric appeared in the doorway.

"Ric, your shift finished ages ago. What are you still doing here?" Ric shrugged as he slumped into a seat.

"I went to check on Hanssen," he said. Elliot's gaze immediately sharpened.

"How was he?" he asked anxiously. Ric sighed.

"No change for the most part, but he did wake up just as I was leaving." Elliot glared at him.

"Why didn't you call me?" he demanded. Ric did not flinch.

"He was only conscious for a few minutes," he explained. "I gave him some more morphine and he fell asleep." Elliot's scowl faded.

"Oh." He sighed. "My apologies. How did he seem?" Ric shook his head.

"Awful," he said bluntly. "He was completely exhausted and in a lot of pain." Elliot nodded unhappily.

"I can't say I'm surprised. This recovery was always going to be much harder than the first one." Ric still looked troubled, and it was not difficult for Elliot to discern the cause. "Do you still feel responsible?" he asked carefully. Ric looked at him sharply, but said nothing. Elliot sighed. "Ric, you have to let this go. It was his decision to that op, and he was aware of all the possible risks. Worrying about it now won't help." Ric shook his head.

"I know," he said softly. "I've spent the whole afternoon trying to think of another solution and come up with nothing. We didn't have any other choice. But that doesn't make it any easier." Elliot smiled.

"If it did, I'd start to worry," he said lightly. His smile faded as he leaned forwards. "Ric, both of you did the only thing you could. Hanssen was aware of the risk, but he would have gone ahead with it even if he had known what would happen. All you're doing by second-guessing yourself is wasting energy." Ric gave him a small smile.

"You may be right." With an effort he stifled a yawn and got to his feet. "I should be getting back. Annalese will be wondering what's happened." Elliot nodded.

"You do look exhausted," he commented. "Go home and try and forget about this. I'll see you tomorrow." Reluctantly, Ric nodded.

"I'll try. Good night, Elliot."

"Good night."

Elliot sighed as Ric left the room. It was clear the other consultant was feeling guilty over his part in Hanssen's condition, and Elliot was beginning to regret losing his temper earlier. Ric had only been trying to help his patient after all; Elliot knew that he would probably have done the same in his place. Unfortunately, they now had to deal with the consequences. Elliot shook his head. With any luck, Hanssen would make a full recovery, but it would take time, and he would probably have to have another operation to prevent it from happening again. The Swede was in for a very uncomfortable few weeks.

It was not until late afternoon the next day that Elliot and Ric had the opportunity of talking to Hanssen. Elliot had checked with the ICU staff at regular intervals, and although the consultant had awoken very early, they had quickly realised that he was in no state to be having visitors. It had taken another ten hours sleep before Elliot judged that he was well enough for the conversation, and even then he knew that they would have to keep it brief.

Elliot was slightly surprised at just how nervous Ric looked as he pushed open the door. Personally, he thought that it was highly unlikely that the Swede would hold Ric to blame, but his friend was unconvinced. Elliot was more concerned that Hanssen would make too light of the situation and, by extension, his own injuries. He was going to have to keep a close eye on him.

Hanssen's eyes flickered open at their entrance.

"Mr. Hope, Mr. Griffin." His voice was tight with controlled pain, but he managed a slight smile. His gaze paused on Ric. "I trust the operation was a success?" Ric gaped at him as Elliot let out an exasperated sigh.

"Yes," Ric stammered. "It looks like she'll make a full recovery." Relief flashed across the Swede's face.

"That is a relief." Elliot coughed loudly.

"Can you please concentrate on your own heath for a few minutes?" he asked wearily. He sighed as Hanssen glanced back at him innocently. "How do you feel?" he asked. Hanssen shivered, his smile fading.

"Not at best," he murmured. There was a slight frown on his face. "What exactly happened? I find I cannot quite remember." He sounded almost embarrassed. Elliot nodded in understanding.

"I'm not surprised," he said sympathetically. "You developed a tension pneumothorax that caused you to go into cardiogenic shock. I relieved the immediate symptoms with needle decompression therapy, and then inserted a chest drain." He shook his head. "You were very lucky. Too much longer and the consequences could have been much worse." Hanssen nodded slowly.

"I do not feel lucky," he said quietly. "I underestimated the strain of the transplant." His gaze darted to Ric as the consultant flushed and dropped his gaze. "Is something wrong, Mr. Griffin?" Ric cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I'm afraid I also miscalculated." He took a deep breath and met Hanssen's gaze. "I shouldn't have asked for your help. Elliot told me that the risk was too high and I didn't listen. I'm sorry." Hanssen shook his head.

"Do not apologise, Mr. Griffin," he said sharply. "The risk was acceptable." Elliot snorted.

"Acceptable? Henrik, you nearly died! Another few minutes…"

"But I didn't, Mr. Hope," Hanssen interrupted firmly. "And the operation was a success, was it not?" Elliot gritted his teeth.

"If it had failed, you would probably be dead too." He shook his head angrily. "How did you even manage to hide a pneumothorax for six hours anyway?" The Swede shrugged carefully.

"A simple matter of discipline," he said shortly. "The point remains that Emily Hopkins now has a chance for a normal life." Ric stared at him in dismay.

"Henrik, the point remains that you were in almost as much danger as she was," he said. "How can you class that as an acceptable risk?"

"The possible benefits outweighed the possible risks by…"

"I didn't want a complete definition, Henrik!" Ric took a deep breath as he tried to calm down. "Are you even listening to us?" Hanssen looked mildly affronted.

"Of course." Elliot sighed.

"Why are you being so stubborn about this?" he asked. The confusion was clear in his voice. "Why did you feel it was necessary to go to such lengths for one child?" Hanssen met his gaze steadily.

"'I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures that are required***'**," he quoted softly. "I swore that oath just as you did, gentlemen. What else could I have done?" Ric and Elliot exchanged an uneasy glance.

"You still shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard," Elliot protested, but the conviction was gone from his voice. He would probably have done the same thing. Ric sighed.

"Without your help, Emily would not have survived," he admitted. "I don't agree with your reasoning, but I can't exactly condemn it." Hanssen nodded wearily.

"I thought not." Elliot's eyes narrowed at the fatigue in his voice, and he got to his feet.

"We'd better leave you to get some rest." His tone made it clear that he would brook no arguments. Ric stood up, but stayed where he was.

"One moment, Elliot." He turned to Hanssen. "I just want you to know how much we appreciate what you did," he said. "I doubt that Emily would be alive now without your help. On behalf of me, and Emily's parents, thank you." Hanssen shook his head.

"You are welcome." His jaw tightened as a flicker of pain flashed across his face, and Ric caught the warning glint in Elliot's eyes.

"We'll leave you in peace," he said quickly. "Try and sleep." The Swede smiled slightly as he closed his eyes, and Ric quietly followed Elliot from the room.

Once outside, Elliot shook his head in exasperation.

"I see he's as stubborn as ever," he muttered. Ric grinned. The knowledge that Hanssen did not blame him had lifted a considerable weight from his mind.

"Did you really expect him to change?" Elliot scowled at him.

"I was hoping this would at least make him a little more cautious," he complained. "He's going to be absolutely impossible." Ric glanced at his watch and sighed.

"I'd better get back to Keller," he said. "I promised Sacha I'd let him know what was happening." His smile widened. "Good luck." Elliot shook his head.

"Thank you." Ric nodded a farewell and left the ward.

"Elliot." Elliot turned to see Greg and Sahira approaching. Both wore expressions of deep concern. "How is he?" asked Sahira anxiously. Elliot gave her a reassuring smile.

"I think he's going to be fine." Sahira's frown turned to a beaming smile as Greg let out a sigh of relief. Elliot smiled at their reactions as he continued. "We're going to have to keep a close eye on him for the next couple of weeks, but he should make a full recovery." He glanced at Sahira. "He's resting again at the moment, but I'm sure you'll be able to visit later." Sahira smiled guiltily

"Am I that obvious?" Greg smirked.

"Pretty much." Sahira scowled at him, but the twinkle in her dark eyes rather ruined the effect. Elliot shook his head.

"It's a perfectly understandable reaction," he said. "And I believe you have patients to see to, Mr. Douglas." Greg nodded, winked at Sahira, and departed on his errand. Sahira watched him go.

"He's like a little kid," she said fondly. Her smile faded slightly as she glanced back to Elliot. "Mr. Hope, I need to thank you." Elliot looked at her quizzically.

"Whatever for, Sahira?" She smiled warmly.

"For taking care of Henrik," she explained. "I know he can be a difficult patient, but we really do appreciate everything you've done." Elliot shook his head.

"It's no trouble at all," he said gently. "A few more weeks and he'll be back to normal." He smiled. "Now, Mr. Douglas is not the only one with patients." Sahira grinned.

"I really should be getting back," she agreed. "Thank you again, Elliot."

"My pleasure."

Elliot could not suppress a smile as he returned to his office. The knowledge that Hanssen would make a full recovery was more of a relief than he had expected. Over the past week he had got to know the other consultant much better, and had been deeply impressed by his compassion and his courage, even if he did have the frustrating habit of taking both qualities to extremes at times. Elliot had known for a while that there were very few things Hanssen considered more important than his work, but he was only now beginning to realise that that concern extended to individual patients as well as the hospital in general. He would certainly have never expected the Swede to try completing a liver transplant in his previous condition. He shook his head in astonishment. It looked like Hanssen was going to continue to surprise them.

***A quote from the modern version of the Hippocratic Oath.**

**Just a quick warning; I have exams coming up, so it might take me a little longer to update for the next few weeks. Don't worry, I will finish this as soon as I can. Please keep reviewing. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Vulnerabilities**

**Chapter Nine**

**I am really, really sorry for the delay, revision has taken over my life. Thanks for your patience, and a massive thank you to everyone who's reviewed. I really hope this doesn't disappoint.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City**

"For the last time Henrik, I said no."

Elliot rubbed his eyes in exasperation as the Swede frowned at him. It had been two weeks since the ill-fated transplant operation, and Hanssen was well on the way to recovery. It had not been easy; for the first few days he had been in a critical condition, and Elliot had been very worried about him. Gradually though, his symptoms had eased, and they had transferred him back to Darwin a week ago. Since then, his condition had improved steadily, much to Elliot's relief. Unfortunately, his patience had not.

"Elliot…"

"No." Hanssen's frown deepened to a glare, but Elliot stood his ground. "Unless you want to end up back in the ICU, you will do exactly what I tell you, is that clear?" Hanssen sighed.

"Very well." He thought for a moment. "A bed on the ICU does cost six times more than a bed on Darwin." Elliot rolled his eyes.

"Just this once, could you please make a decision tha is not based on costs and efficiencies?" he asked in mock-dismay. Hanssen just looked at him.

"No." Despite himself, Elliot chuckled, and Hanssen's face relaxed into a slight smile.

Despite their initial hostility, relations between the two consultants had begun to thaw a little. Elliot had been deeply impressed by Hanssen's courage throughout his ordeal, and his own compassion had made an equally positive impression on the Swede. To their surprise, they had found their mutual respect developing into a tentative friendship. Greg and Sahira had watched with approval; the consultants were polar opposites in every way, but somehow their methods and skills complemented each other very well. If they could agree on one single aspect of the task, they had the makings of a formidable team.

Elliot shook his head sharply. He had almost forgotten the reason for his visit. Hanssen frowned at the change in his mood.

"Is something wrong, Elliot?" The CT consultant sighed.

"Henrik, I need to talk to you about your treatment." Hanssen did not reply and Elliot continued. "You know that spontaneous pneumothorax carries with it a 50% chance of a relapse."

"I was aware of it, yes."

"Well, based on your history, I think it's safe to say that, even if you take the time to recover properly this time, there is still an extremely high probability that your lung will collapse again." Hanssen nodded slowly.

"I'd say that's a reasonable prediction," he murmured. "Do you have a solution?" Elliot nodded.

"I've discussed it with Greg," he said. "We think that the best option would be to perform a pleurodesis." Hanssen frowned.

"I have had one in the past," he reminded him. "It was not as effective as I had been led to believe."

"It lasted twelve years," Elliot pointed out. "That's pretty good considering. At the very least it will greatly reduce the risk." Hanssen nodded, but he still looked unconvinced. Elliot sighed. "Listen to me, this is the best option," he insisted. "Without it…"

"I am well aware of what will happen without it," the Swede interrupted firmly. He was silent for several minutes before speaking again. "If I have the procedure, how long will it be until I can leave?" Elliot stared at him in astonishment.

"That's what you're worrying about?" He shook his head despairingly. "You're impossible."

"How long?"

"Five days. Maybe longer." He continued hurriedly at the scowl on the consultant's face. "That's only an estimate. If there are no complications then you could be out by the end of the week." Hanssen shook his head.

"I have already been away for too long," he said. "I have far too much to do to spend another week in here."

At his last statement, the last shreds of Elliot's frayed temper snapped.

"Oh really?" he said sharply. "Then let me put it another way. Either you let us do the pleurodesis and stay here for another five days, or you leave today. But let me warn you now that if you leave without this procedure, you will be back in here by the end of the week with another pneumothorax. That means you will have to spend another ten days with that chest drain in, and a further several days resting at home." Hanssen opened his mouth to argue, but Elliot ignored him. "The total cost of treating another pneumothorax is about four times that of performing a pneumothorax, so your stubbornness will not only affect you, it will affect the hospital." He took a moment to compose himself and continued more calmly. "I can understand your frustration, Henrik, but you're being foolish. Have the procedure, take time to heal properly, and you'll be back at work within a fortnight. The hospital will save money, you'll be in a lot less pain, and, with any luck, you'll never have to go through this again. Your choice."

Hanssen gazed at him with something approaching shock, and Elliot realised that the Swede had never really seen him lose his temper before. It was not something he enjoyed, but Hanssen's unrelenting stubbornness had left him no choice. He had unwillingly stepped aside in the case of Emily Hopkins, but now the man was endangering his health simply for the sake of convenience, and Elliot was not going to stand for it.

Hanssen was silent for several minutes as he considered his words. Elliot waited patiently; he knew that the Swede hated to be proved wrong, but he also knew that Hanssen was too conscientious to ignore his arguments. If the point about his health did not change his mind, the one about costs would.

Eventually, Hanssen sighed and glanced up. Reluctantly he nodded.

"Very well," he said quietly. "I consent to the pleurodesis." Elliot breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," he said sincerely." Hanssen shook his head.

"It appears I have little choice in the matter," he admitted. He sighed again. "When will it be done?" Elliot glanced at his watch.

"You've got a CT scan in an hour," he said. "If that comes back clear, we can do it this afternoon. If all goes well, you should only need to stay in for a few days after that." The Swede nodded.

"That will be fine." Elliot smiled.

"Good." He got to his feet. "I need to get back to my other patients. Someone will be along soon to take you for the scan."

"Thank you."

Elliot let out a long sigh as he returned to the main part of the ward. He had known that it would be difficult to persuade Hanssen to undergo further treatment, but he had not realised that the Swede would be quite so stubborn. It was very fortunate indeed that he had been able to change his mind. Elliot had not mentioned it to Hanssen, but the Swede's second pneumothorax had been much more serious than the first, and it had left him dangerously weakened. Elliot was not convinced that he would be able to survive another attack, which was why he had argued so hard for him to have the procedure. A pleurodesis would drastically reduce the chance of it happening again.

"Elliot." Elliot started in surprise as Jac's voice broke into his thoughts. The registrar raised an eyebrow in amusement in his reaction. "Just me," she said innocently. Elliot frowned.

"What is it Ms Naylor?" he asked. If the question came out more sharply than he had intended, Jac did not seem to notice.

"I was just wondering how Mr. Hanssen was getting on," she said. "For some reason, I haven't had time to check on him myself." Elliot coughed uncomfortably.

"Yes, well at least you've kept busy," he mumbled. He went on quickly before she could pick up on his words. "He's doing fairly well. If his CT scan shows no air remaining, I think we can perform a pleurodesis this afternoon. Jac's eyes glinted.

"Do you need any help?" she asked. Elliot shook his head.

"I've already asked Mr. Douglas to give us a hand," he informed her. "Besides, aren't you performing a valve transplant with Ms Shah this afternoon?" Jac's smile slipped slightly.

"Yes, I am." She sighed. "I still don't know why he thought we needed her." Elliot glanced at her.

"Jac, Sahira is a valuable addition to the team." Jac scowled.

"Yes, she bakes nice cakes."

"She is an excellent surgeon," Elliot snapped. Jac glanced down and he continued more gently. "You should try to get along with her," he said. "You could learn a lot from each other." A look of disbelief crossed Jac's face, before she fixed her smile back in place.

"I'm sure she could," she said. "By the way, has there been a date fixed for the interviews?" Elliot looked at her blankly.

"Interviews?"

"For the consultancy post."

"Oh that, no, not yet. We've been waiting for Mr. Hanssen to recover before we do anything else." Jac did not look pleased.

"I see." Elliot raised an eyebrow.

"Do you have something to say, Ms Naylor?" Recognising the warning tone in his voice, Jac backed off.

"Nothing, Mr. Hope." Elliot relented slightly at her disappointed tone.

"We should be able to discharge Mr. Hanssen within the next five days," he told her. "After that, I expect it'll be another week or so before he gets around to us." Jac nodded.

"Fine. I'll be getting back to work then, shall I?"

"Excellent idea. Keep up the good work, Ms Naylor." Jac held his gaze for a moment trying to decide whether or not he was being sarcastic, before turning on her heel and staking away back to her patients. Elliot shook his head in amusement and followed her example.

Elliot spent the next few hours catching up on the patients and paperwork he had neglected over the past few days. He was just speaking with one of his patients when Greg came up to him, a set of scan results in his hand.

"Elliot, Mr. Hanssen's CT results," he called. Quickly, Elliot excused himself and hurried over.

"Thank you, Greg. Let's see." He fell silent as he examined them. After a moment, he nodded. "It seems like the lung's fully reinflated," he said. Greg nodded agreement.

"Do you think we should we do the pleurodesis today or wait 'til tomorrow?" he asked. Elliot snapped the file shut.

"This afternoon would be best I think. He wants to get out of here as quickly as possible." Greg grimaced.

"I've noticed," he said dryly. "Shall I go ahead and prep him?" Elliot nodded.

"I've got a few things to finish off first," he said. "Administer the anaesthetic and I should be there by the time it takes effect." Greg nodded acknowledgement as Elliot continued. "He's familiar with the procedure, but just make sure he's fully aware of all the possible side-effects."

"Fever, pain and breathlessness, right?" Elliot nodded.

"That's it. We shouldn't have any problems, but it's best to be prepared."

"Alright, anything else?" Elliot thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"I think that's everything. I'll just see to this patient and then I'll join you." Greg nodded, and departed to collect his equipment.

It was nearly half an hour before Elliot was able to leave, and he made his way quickly back to the Swede's room. Greg and Hanssen both glanced up at his approach.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Hope," murmured Hanssen. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to be joining us." Elliot smiled apologetically.

"Well, I'm here now." He turned to Greg. "Everything alright?" Greg nodded.

"We're ready to start," he said. "Just give the word." Elliot glanced at Hanssen. The Swede's eyes were heavy with resignation, and Elliot could not blame him. The procedure was very simple; a chemical would be put through the chest tube that would irritate lung and its surrounding membranes, causing them to stick together. This would prevent air from building up in the future. Unfortunately, it was very painful, and, although uncommon, there was a risk of complications occurring. They weren't likely to be fatal, but they would be make the Swede's life very uncomfortable for the next few days. Small wonder then that he had been so reluctant to have the procedure done.

Still, it was the best option available to them. Elliot nodded to Greg.

"Let's go then." Greg adjusted the chest drain, and the three doctors watched as the chemical travelled through the tube. A moment later, Hanssen's body stiffened as it made contact, and he let out a sharp hiss of pain. Elliot moved quickly to his side.

"Henrik, are you alright?" The Swede gave a tight nod.

"I will be," he said quietly. He closed his eyes with a grimace. "And I thought a chest drain couldn't be made any worse." Elliot winced.

"Do you want more pain relief?" he asked sympathetically. Hanssen shook his head.

"It is tolerable." Elliot nodded reluctantly.

"If you change your mind, just ask." He turned to Greg. "Can you manage on your own?" Greg nodded.

"We'll be fine," he said confidently. Elliot glanced at Hanssen and the Swede nodded confirmation.

"I am sure you have things you need to attend to." Elliot shook his head.

"I'll be back in a couple of hours to see how you're getting on."

Greg wasn't worried as Elliot left the room. The procedure wasn't complicated, and he had got to know Hanssen well enough over the past few weeks to no longer be so intimidated by him. Glancing at his patient, he noted that the Swede's eyes were closed and his breathing was a little harsh, but that was a typical reaction to the powders used. Seeing that he didn't want to talk, Greg picked up a research journal. Despite Jac's scathing opinion, he did not intend to remain a registrar forever. When he applied for the consultant's position, he wanted to be sure he was ready.

The next two hours passed peacefully for both surgeons. Every fifteen minutes, Greg had had Hanssen move to a different position to ensure that the powder spread evenly throughout his chest. Hanssen kept quiet throughout the process, but Greg could read his discomfort in the tension in his shoulders, and he surreptitiously increased the pain relief. It seemed to help a little, but the next time he checked him, Greg was slightly concerned to find he was running a temperature. He knew that a fever was an occasional side effect of the treatment, but it was something he would have to keep an eye on.

As promised, Elliot returned shortly before the end of the procedure. Not wanting to disturb their patient, Greg spoke to him outside.

"I'm worried about his fever," he said quickly. "It's risen steadily over the past hour." Elliot nodded as he studied the Swede's file.

"Well, we can treat that easily enough," he pointed out. "We can put him on antibiotics once this is finished. Any other problems?" Greg shook his head.

"Maybe more pain than I would expect, but I'd put that down to the pneumothoraxes he's already had. I increased the pain relief." Elliot sighed.

"Good." He glanced at his watch. "I think that time's up," he said. "We'd better start draining off the powder."

Hanssen opened his eyes as the two of them entered, and Elliot immediately noticed the deterioration in his condition. His normally pale skin was flushed, and even though the room was fairly warm, he was shivering. He nodded at Elliot as the consultant moved to stand next to him.

"I take it…things are not going according to plan?" he asked quietly. Elliot sighed.

"Not exactly," he admitted. "But it's nothing to worry about. We'll have you up and about in no time." As he spoke, Greg adjusted the chest drain again, and traces of the powder became visible as they were drawn out. Hanssen waited patiently, but only when the last traces of the substance had disappeared was he able to relax. Greg grinned at him as he reset the equipment.

"There you go, pneumothorax free," he said cheerfully. Hanssen lay back wearily against the pillows.

"I hope so, Mr. Douglas," he said. Noting the weariness in his voice, Elliot glanced at Greg and tipped his head towards the door before turning back to his patient.

"We'll be back in a few hours," he promised. "Meanwhile, I'll send a nurse along to get you started on some antibiotics." Hanssen nodded.

"That would be appreciated. Thank you."

"No problem. We'll leave you in peace."

Once outside, Elliot turned to Greg.

"I want you to keep me informed of everything that happens," he said seriously. "Keep a close eye on that fever; his body's under enough strain as it is." Greg nodded reassuringly.

"I know what to do, Elliot," he said soothingly. "Leave it to me." Elliot smiled at him.

"I know you do." Greg laughed suddenly, and Elliot shot him a curious glance. "Something funny?" The registrar shook his head.

"I was just thinking, a couple of months ago, we'd have been pleased to see him in this position," he explained. "Now, we're both worried sick." Elliot chuckled.

"Things have changed," he agreed. He was about to say more, but fell silent at the sound of angry voices from the office.

"What were you thinking?

"The patient was bleeding out, and you pig-headedness stubbornness on finishing that procedure…"

"Pig-headedness? Listen you…" The listening surgeons winced at the furious debate. Elliot massaged his temples wearily.

"It appears that some things, however, have not."

**Please let me know what you thought.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Vulnerabilities**

**Chapter Ten**

**I am so sorry for taking so long, this chapter just didn't want to be written. Thank you so much to everyone who's reviewed, I really hope you continue to enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Jac Naylor wore a dark scowl as she strode along the corridor. She had argued with Sahira yet again the previous day, but to her irritation, Elliot seemed in no hurry to help. However, once she reached Darwin, her attention was diverted by the unusually serious expression on the face of Greg Douglas, a registrar who rarely seemed to stop smiling, even on the worst of days. It was not difficult to discern the reason.

"What's he done now?" she asked cheerfully. Greg started. Lost in a file, he had not heard her approach.

"What?" Jac rolled her eyes.

"Hanssen. I'm assuming he's the reason you have a face like a thunderstorm." Greg snapped the file shut.

"I do not, and his condition is none of your business," he replied shortly. Jac scowled at him.

"Excuse me for trying to help," she retorted. "I'll leave you to puzzle it out by yourself then." She turned to walk away and began a mental countdown. _Three…two…one…_

"Jac wait." Hiding a smirk, Jac turned back to her colleague.

"Yes?" she asked coolly. Greg sighed and slumped into a chair.

"I guess I could use some help," he muttered. Jac folded her arms expectantly and he sighed again. "Fine. I'm sorry. Will you help me please?" Jac smiled.

"There we go." She dropped into the chair next to him and held out her hand. Greg passed her the file and rubbed his eyes.

"It's his fever," he explained wearily as Jac scanned the notes. "The antibiotics aren't having the effect we expected." Jac nodded thoughtfully.

"What does Elliot have to say?" she asked.

"Haven't spoken to him yet," Greg replied. At her raised eyebrow, he hurried to defend herself. "Give me a break, I only got in half an hour ago. Anyway, he's away at a conference today." Jac closed the file and handed it back.

"Right then, let's go."

"Wait, go where?" Jac raised an eyebrow.

"So now you want me to make a diagnosis without even examining the patient?" she asked sarcastically. Greg scowled at her, but didn't argue the point. Smirking, the redheaded registrar got to her feet and moved away. Shaking his head, Greg followed her.

Jac didn't have to glance back to know that Greg was following her. Everyone on Darwin had noticed the changes in his relationship with the Swede; thinly veiled hostility had gradually given way to a more cordial tone. Now, Jac would almost say that there was a degree of protectiveness in the registrar's behaviour. How much of that was due to the growing friendship between Elliot and Hanssen she didn't know, but it was clear that she as not going to be given free rein on this case. She broke off her musing as they reached Hanssen's room. A single glance at the consultant told her why Greg had been so worried.

Hanssen was asleep, but it did not look like it was doing him much good. His normally pale skin was flushed, and even though he was shivering his forehead was beaded with sweat. A quick glance at the monitors told her that his temperature was several degrees above normal. She glanced at Greg.

"Are you sure you gave him the right medication?" Greg scowled at her.

"This isn't funny," he snapped. "He's only just recovered from the pneumothorax; an extended fever is the last thing he needs."

"Alright, I get it." She thought for a moment. "When did you start him on these?"

"Yesterday evening, when his temperature began to rise." Jac nodded.

"And is it still increasing?" Greg shook his head.

"It's been holding steady for the past couple of hours."

"Then I'd say they're beginning to work," Jac pointed out. "I think we should give them another few hours. Call Elliot if there's no change by lunchtime." Greg nodded.

"Alright," he sighed. "Thanks Jac." Jac smiled.

"No problem."

Jac shot Greg a speculative glance as they made their way back to the main ward. The registrar frowned at her.

"What?" Jac shrugged.

"I was just wondering why you care so much."

"What, about Hanssen?" Jac sighed.

"No, about Mrs Peterson," she said sarcastically. Greg glared at her and grabbed a new file. Jac hastily wiped the smirk from her face. "I'm sorry. I'm just curious as to why you're so concerned for a guy who was trying to get us all sacked a few weeks ago." Greg glanced up.

"He's a patient," he said slowly, as if speaking to a child. "It's my job to be concerned." Jac frowned.

"So, you're just ignoring the fact that he's a ruthless, cold-hearted b…"

"I don't care what he's like normally, he's ill and I need to get him better," Greg interrupted. "And I've had plenty of practice ignoring those particular personality traits," he said pointedly. Jac scowled at him.

"Yes, because you're such a charmer yourself," she muttered. Greg smirked at her.

"Anyway, can't stand around chatting," he grinned. "Lots of work to do today." He strolled off whistling, his usual good humour restored.

Jac stood glaring after him. It was bad enough that he had insulted her, but she hadn't even got a proper answer to her question. Jac hated not knowing things, and Elliot and Greg's change of heart towards the Swede had thoroughly bemused her. She just could not understand how they could care so much for someone who had caused so much turmoil. It couldn't just be because they were doctors. Despite popular opinion, Jac genuinely did want the best for her patients, but she found it extremely difficult to forgive people who hurt her. Greg's ability to look past that was one she almost envied. She snorted suddenly. She was jealous of Greg. She must be ill. Hurriedly, Jac picked up a file and returned to work.

Greg wore a satisfied smirk as he finished speaking to one of his patients. He loved getting the better of Jac Naylor, mainly because it happened so rarely. There was no doubting the fact that Jac was a superb surgeon, which just made her confusion over the situation with Hanssen even more amusing. It really wasn't complicated. The Swede's determination to perform the transplant operation, despite his condition, had proved to Greg that he genuinely cared about his patients, and that all his cuts were in their best interests. Further conversations with the consultant had convinced him of the man's sincerity, and Greg was happy to forget the past. Now that he was able to treat him with a clear conscience, the two men were getting on much better. And if it annoyed Jac, well that was a very nice bonus.

As he reached the desk, Greg saw Jac talking with Sahira. As usual, he couldn't help but smile as he caught sight of the beautiful registrar. She looked tired; there were dark shadows under her eyes and she was stifling a yawn, but she still exuded a sense of calm that he found reassuring. Sahira glanced up at his approach and gave a warm smile. He grinned back.

"Good morning Ms Shah," he said with exaggerated politeness. "How are you this fine morning?" Sahira laughed.

"Very well, thanks for asking." Behind them, Jac snorted.

"Oh, give it a break." Greg rolled his eyes at Sahira and turned to her.

"What? Am I not allowed to greet my colleague?" Jac scowled.

"I've got an idea." She smacked a file into his chest. "Get on with the work you're being paid to do." She stalked off angrily. Greg had the sense to wait until she was out of earshot before laughing.

"That is so much fun," he said gleefully. Sahira shook her head.

"You shouldn't wind her up so much," she chided gently. "You'd get on a lot better if you didn't." Greg snorted.

"Yeah right. You're always nice to her and she still acts the same way." Sahira shrugged.

"Well, that's her problem, isn't it?" She sighed. "Any news on Henrik?" she asked. Greg hesitated a moment. He had no desire to lie, but he hated giving her bad news. Sahira picked up on his reticence.

"What's happened, Greg?" Her usually gentle voice carried a distinct edge. Greg sighed.

"He's got a bit of a fever. Nothing too bad, but we need to keep an eye on it," he said, stifling the twinge of guilt. There was no point in upsetting her. Unfortunately, Sahira seemed to sense that this wasn't the whole truth.

"What are you not telling me?" There was an unmistakeable hint of danger in her voice, and Greg realised it would be foolish to procrastinate further.

"Okay, maybe it's a more serious fever," he admitted. Sahira's eyes narrowed, and he continued quickly. "It is under control. We've given him antibiotics and we should be seeing an improvement within the next few hours." Sahira nodded slowly, but Greg could see the anxiety in her brown eyes. He tried a reassuring smile. "Sahira, he'll be fine. You'll see, by the end of the week he'll be back to normal." Sahira glared at him.

"Back to normal? You don't even know what's wrong!" She broke off abruptly and turned away. Greg wanted to reassure her, but after her outburst, he thought it better to wait. After a moment, she turned back to him. "I'm sorry," she muttered. She took a deep breath. "What exactly is his prognosis?" Her voice was perfectly steady, but her eyes still showed her concern all too clearly. Greg let out a long sigh as he met her gaze.

"It really isn't too bad," he said calmly. "The antibiotics are working, albeit not as effectively as they should be, but his temperature is steady, and with any luck it should start coming down soon. I honestly think he'll recover fairly quickly." Sahira fixed him with a penetrating glare, but after a few seconds, her expression softened.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "That's all I needed to know." She sighed and glanced away. "I should get back to work." Greg frowned.

"Sahira, are you sure you're alright?" The registrar nodded, but did not look at him.

"I'm fine." Greg's frown deepened.

"No you're not. Are you still worried about Hanssen?" Sahira didn't reply, but her silence told Greg everything he needed to know. "C'mon, Sahira, I've told you, we're doing everything we can. Worrying about him isn't going to help." Sahira shot him an irritated look.

"I know you are, but that doesn't make it any easier!" She rubbed her eyes wearily. "I just hate seeing him like this," she whispered. Greg hesitated a moment, then pulled her into a hug.

"Come here," he murmured. Sahira tensed instinctively, before relaxing into him. Greg could feel her shoulders shaking and he held her tighter. "Everything's going to be alright." Sahira sniffed and pulled away, rubbing her eyes.

"I know," she muttered. She gave a shaky laugh. "I'm sorry, Greg. I don't know what came over me." Greg shook his head.

"Forget it. It's perfectly natural to be worried about a friend." He glanced round quickly. "Why don't you go and see him?" he suggested. "I can cover for you for a little while." Sahira beamed at him.

"You don't mind?"

"Nah. Jac's on the warpath though, so make it quick." Sahira gave him a quick hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. "I won't be long." She drew back and hurried off. Greg watched her go, then turned to check for Jac again. He had no desire to experience her temper again, but Sahira had looked so woebegone that he couldn't help but make the offer. Sighing he picked up the file she had left on the desk and set to work.

Sahira let out a long sigh as she sat down next to Hanssen's bed. Greg had warned her about Henrik's condition, but she still felt a sharp pang in her heart as she looked at him. Automatically, she checked the monitors, and noted with relief that his temperature was still holding steady. She would have been happier to see it lower, but at least he wasn't getting any worse.

To her surprise, Sahira found tears forming in her eyes. She had refused to allow herself to react so emotionally while Hanssen had been under their care, but this latest mishap was the last straw and she could not stop the tears from falling. Leaning across, she took his hand gently.

"Henrik, it's me, Sahira" she said softly. "Please wake up." Henrik shifted slightly in his sleep, but he didn't stir and Sahira felt her spirits plummet. She really did hate seeing her friend so ill and not being able to do anything about it. Contrary to Jac's belief, there had never been a romantic element to their relationship, but Henrik had been her mentor, and later her friend, for many years, and she cared deeply about what happened to him.

Angrily, Sahira scrubbed away the tears; his condition was not that serious, and she could not afford to lose control in the middle of her shift. Shakily, she got up to leave, but just as she reached the door, the monitor gave a sharp beep. Fearing the worst, Sahira spun back in alarm, but after a moment, her face split into a broad smile. Henrik was still asleep, but a glance at the screen told her that his temperature had finally started to drop. It would be a while before he was out of danger, but at least they knew the antibiotics were working. Barring any further complications, he would soon be fully recovered.

Feeling much happier, Sahira returned to the main ward. Greg glanced up at her approach. A look of puzzlement crossed his face at her mood change.

"What happened?" he asked. Sahira smiled at him.

"His temperature's going down," she informed him. Greg brightened at her words.

"That's great news," he said cheerfully. He shook his head in exasperation. "Trust him to get us all worked up for no reason." Sahira laughed.

"I don't think we can blame him for this," she pointed out lightly. She sighed happily. "It is a relief though." Greg smiled at her.

"I can see that." He turned to get back to work, but Sahira stopped him.

"Thank you for covering for me," she said sincerely. "I know you had your own work to do."

"Oh, no worries. I'm sure you'd have done the same for me." He gave a heavy sigh and turned to the mountain of files on the desk. Sahira followed his gaze.

"We should probably make a start on that," she said regretfully. "Thanks again, Greg."

Greg lingered for a moment after Sahira left. He was relieved that, after nearly a month under their care, Hanssen was finally on the way to recovery. It had been an interesting period to say the least, but he would be very gad when it was all over.

**Well, this is nearly finished. There'll be one more chapter, which will hopefully be up a bit quicker than this one. Please let me know what you think.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Vulnerabilities**

**Chapter Eleven**

**Hi everyone, here's the final chapter. Thank you so much to everyone who's kept with this; your support has really inspired me to keep writing. This chapter isn't going to be as long as the others, but I just wanted to round everything off. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Holby City.**

Henrik Hanssen set down his pen in exasperation and leaned back in his chair. His month's enforced rest had left him with a veritable mountain of work; after his second pneumothorax, Greg had flatly refused to let him do anything and he was now extremely behind. It was going to take weeks to catch up.

However, even with everything he had to do, Henrik couldn't be in a bad mood. After being stuck in bed for nearly four weeks, it was a relief to be back at his job. There was a lingering ache in his chest, but since it was the price for hopefully never suffering a pneumothorax again, Henrik saw no reason to complain. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion that Elliot was looking for any excuse to keep him under observation for another couple of days, and he had no intention of giving him one. Suppressing a shudder, Henrik pulled the next sheaf of paper towards him.

At that point, his attention was diverted by a knock at the door.

"Come in," he called. His face relaxed into a small smile as Ric Griffin entered the room. The consultant let out a long sigh at the sight of all the stacks of paper in front of him.

"You know, it would make a nice change to one day come in here and be able to see your desk." Henrik shook his head.

"I agree. Unfortunately, that does not appear to be happening any time soon." Ric frowned.

"I take it Elliot doesn't know how much you're doing?" he said lightly.

"No, and I intend to keep it that way." Ric shook his head despairingly.

"Just don't over-do it," he warned. "Unless you want to send another month on Darwin." Henrik grimaced.

"Believe me, that was one experience I have no desire of repeating," he said dryly. "Anyway, was there something I can do for you?" Ric shook his head.

"No, just wanted to see how you were doing. By the looks of things, I'd say it was a good idea," he said, looking pointedly at the array of files. Henrik sighed.

"You have nothing to worry about, I assure you," he said. "In any case, I'm going down to see Elliot in a few minutes." Ric's head whipped round.

"Why? Are you feeling alright?" he asked sharply. Henrik nodded.

"I'm fine, but he wanted me to come by for a check-up." Ric relaxed a little.

"Good. We're busy enough as it is without you falling ill again." He shook his head and got to his feet. "I'll leave you to it." He smiled suddenly. "I never thought I'd actually say this, but it's good to have you back, Henrik." Hanssen glanced up and nodded.

"It's good to be back."

Henrik shook his head thoughtfully as he strode down the corridor. Ric was not the only person who pleased to see him; people who used to scowl at him were now wishing him a good morning as he passed. It made a pleasant change, albeit a slightly confusing one. Henrik sighed. He finally had the staff on his side, but he did wish that it had not taken a near fatal experience to change their attitudes.

He spotted Greg and Sahira chatting animatedly over at the desk as he entered Darwin ward. The sight brought a slight frown to his face. He had seen the way Greg looked at her, and as much as he trusted the pair of them, he could not help but feel slightly concerned. Firmly, he pushed the feeling aside. Their personal lives were none of his business.

As he watched, Sahira happened to glance up. She smiled as she caught sight of him and nudged Greg in the side.

"Mr. Hanssen!" Greg turned in surprise as Henrik crossed the ward to join them.

"Is everything alright?" he asked anxiously. Henrik gave a brief nod.

"Everything is fine," he said. "Have either of you seen Mr. Hope?"

"Right, he wanted you to come by," Greg remembered. "Yeah, he's in his office." Henrik nodded.

"Thank you, Mr. Douglas."

"You're welcome. Oh, a quick warning, you might want to watch out for Jac." The Swede paused and glared round.

"I'm sorry?" Both registrars smirked as Greg explained.

"She's been pestering Elliot almost non-stop ever since you were discharged," he told him. Henrik pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to quell the impending headache.

"I don't care what she wants, I am not holding the consultancy interviews a moment sooner," he growled. "Ms. Naylor would do very well to take note of that." Greg and Sahira were openly grinning now.

"That's what we told her," said Sahira smugly. "She didn't take it well." Henrik shook his head in frustration.

"I will discuss it with Elliot," he sighed. "Speaking of which, I really must be going."

He left the registrars to their work and headed for Elliot's office. He was not particularly surprised at Jac's behaviour, but it was not going to change anything. He had quite enough to do without arranging interviews as well.

Elliot's door was open, but he knocked to announce his presence anyway. The CT consultant jumped at the sound.

"Henrik! I didn't see you there." Hanssen raised an eyebrow.

"Elliot, you arranged the time." It was a mark of how their relationship had changed that there was no hint of recrimination in his voice. Elliot smiled apologetically as he waved him to a seat.

"Yes, I'm afraid I got a little distracted." He pushed a file aside and gave Henrik an appraising glance. "But that's unimportant. How are you feeling, Henrik?" The Swede shrugged.

"A little tired, a little sore, but other than that I feel perfectly fine." Elliot frowned slightly.

"I suppose that was to be expected," he muttered. "If the pain persists, let me know." Henrik nodded, and he went on. "Now, what about your workload?"

"It is manageable." Elliot raised a disbelieving eyebrow, so he added, "Elliot, it may be greater than usual, but it is not excessive. I will be fine." Elliot still did not look convinced, but a month's worth of arguments on that particular subject had taught him that this was one point on which the Swede would not budge. Reluctantly, he let the matter drop for the moment.

"Very well. I also wanted to talk to you about the interviews for the consultant's post."

"Yes, Mr. Douglas mentioned that a certain member of your team has been expressing some interest." Elliot snorted.

"That's putting it mildly," he said wearily. "Now that you've recovered, she can't seem to see a valid reason why we're taking so long." Henrik gave a humourless smile.

"Ms. Naylor will just have to be patient. At the moment, those interviews are the last thing on my mind." Elliot glanced at him shrewdly.

"Is that you finally admitting that you have too much on your plate?" The Swede glared at him.

"I said nothing of the sort," he said coolly. "I simply meant that filling that the consultant's post is hardly a top priority." Elliot sighed.

"I know." He fixed his friend with a piercing stare. "I hope you know what you're doing," he said sternly.

"I assure you, Elliot, I know my limits."

"Good. I didn't spend four weeks patching you up just so you could go and have a nervous breakdown." Henrik gave him a slight smile, but after a moment his gaze turned serious.

"Elliot, I haven't thanked you for everything you've done over the past few weeks. I realise I haven't been the easiest of patients," Elliot stifled a snort at that, and Henrik's smile widened slightly as he continued, "But I could not have asked for better care." Elliot flushed with pleasure and glanced down.

"Well, I'm glad you thought so," he mumbled. Henrik nodded.

"In fact, I have already written a letter to Sir Frasier commending this CT department." Elliot looked up in astonishment.

"You did what?" Henrik looked rather smug.

""Yes, I informed him that Darwin is an exemplary department and thoroughly deserves its reputation as a centre of excellence," he said calmly. "Furthermore, I made it quite clear that it would be a grave mistake to make any more cuts to this department." Elliot leaned back in his chair, an expression of stunned disbelief on his face.

"Henrik, that's…that's…"

"The least I could do," Henrik interrupted smoothly. He glanced at his feet and got to his feet. "Now, I'm afraid I really must be going." With a final pleased glance at Elliot's shocked face, Henrik left the room.

There was a thoroughly satisfied expression on Henrik's face as he made his way back to his office. Elliot had reacted exactly as he had predicted to his news. It was true that Henrik had initially been looking to Darwin to source a large percentage of the cuts, but after seeing first-hand how they worked, he had had to admit that he had been wrong. Elliot, Greg and Sahira had proved that the hospital needed Darwin, and Henrik was going to do everything he could to maintain it. A thoughtful smile twitched at his lips. It seemed some good had come from his illness after all.

**That's the end everyone. Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you thought of it.**


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